Angel of Darkness (3 page)

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Authors: Cynthia Eden

Tags: #General, #Fiction, #Romance, #Paranormal

BOOK: Angel of Darkness
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“He was biting me ...” But she didn’t have the bite-marks anymore. And surely, she’d just imaged those too-long teeth. “He was so strong. He wouldn’t let me go and I—”
Shoved a chunk of glass into his throat.
The wind whispered against her cheek and the breeze brought the scent of blood to her. Blood and ... the faintest aroma of flowers. “Someone else was here.” The certainty filled her. She tried to remember the other guy, but could only recall a dark shadow. A big, strong shadow of a man.
And ... his eyes had been blue. Bright blue.
“A second assailant?” The cop came even closer. “Ma’am, I want you to lift both hands for me.”
She lifted them, aware of the clench in her gut. Why was she so hungry?
“That’s good, that’s real good ...”
A pounding filled her ears. A fast, wild pounding. And suddenly, she could smell everything—blood, flowers, sweat, cigarettes, alcohol, and even incense from the cathedral. Too much.
“I’m gonna radio for backup and we’re gonna get you taken care of, okay?” The cop was right in front of her now, and Nicole realized the pounding seemed to come from him. Her eyes drifted over his face and on down the strong column of his throat.
There.
His pulse hammered against his flesh in a double-time beat.
His pulse. His blood. So close.
Her hand lifted toward him.
“Is all that blood his, ma’am?”
She shook her head and the move made her feel dizzy. “II think some of it’s mine.” Nicole couldn’t take her eyes off his neck. Then the ache in her mouth turned into pain, and she cried out as she slapped a hand over her lips and tasted the blood on her fingers. As she hunched over, Nicole’s hair formed a curtain over her face, blocking her from the cop’s view.
The blood slipped into her mouth.
More.
The cop reached for her. She snarled as she jumped forward. Something wild and desperate broke loose inside of her. She grabbed the cop’s throat and pushed him back, back. Nicole slammed him into the alley wall.
“Lady, lady
what the hell?”
That pounding was even faster now.
“S-sorry ...” The word sounded funny. When had she gotten a lisp? And what was she doing? He was a cop, she couldn’t—
“What’s wrong with your teeth?” He demanded, and he was fighting her, pushing and shoving, but she barely felt his struggles.
The beat of his heart drowned out his voice. She leaned in closer, so thirsty—
no, hungry
—and she just needed to
bite.
Her teeth sank into his throat. His blood spilled onto her tongue, and it was good. Better than good. The best thing she’d ever had in her life. Warm and hot; life, and it was—
Nicole staggered back, gagging, horrified as she fought through the blinding hunger.
No, no. This wasn’t right.
The cop watched her with terror filling his brown eyes.
“I-I’m sorry!” She’d attacked him and shoved him against the dirty wall, just like—
Just like that bastard did to me.
She’d even bitten the guy. Her tongue ran over her lips and felt the too-long and too-sharp points of her teeth.
No.
She’d bit him and drank his blood.
Drank his freaking blood!
Nicole backed up, quickly, trying to get away from the sight and smell of the cop’s blood. His blood tempted her and right then what she wanted more than anything was—
another bite.
She tripped over the body and crashed hard onto the ground. Her attacker’s body was so stiff and hard, as if he’d been dead for hours. But, no, wait, it had been just moments. She hadn’t been out that long, so ...
“Don’t move.”
The cop had lost his flashlight, but she could see him perfectly in the dim lamplight. He had his gun out and aimed at her.
“I don’t know what the fuck you are, lady, but I’ll put a bullet in your heart if you come at me again.”
I don’t know what the fuck you are.
Fear had her heart racing because she didn’t know, either.
The
hunger
was ripping her apart.
One more drink, one more ...
She had to get away from the cop. If she didn’t, Nicole was very afraid that even the threat of a bullet wouldn’t keep her from his throat.
She’d never hurt anyone in her life, until tonight. Now one man was dead and another man’s throat was torn open and his blood tempted her.
She pushed to her feet.
“Don’t move.” His gun trembled a bit. “Unless you want a bullet in your chest, just ... don’t ... move.” He expelled a rough rasp of air. “Hell, you did this same routine on that poor bastard, didn’t you? You lured him in here, then went right for his throat.”
No. He’d gone for hers. He’d attacked with dark eyes and fangs like some bad horror movie vampire or something.
Vampire.
Her body iced.
Fangs. Blood. Thirst.
No. No!
I don’t know what the fuck you are.
That damn pounding filled her ears. Calling. Urging her to take another bite.
Escape.
She wasn’t going to kill a cop. She wasn’t drinking blood! Nicole spun away and ran toward the square.
“No! Dammit, stop!”
Nicole couldn’t stop. Her teeth were
fangs
, her nails were sharpening into claws, and something was very, very wrong. Tears trekked down her cheeks as she raced for safety.
“I said stop!”
The bullet hit her in the back, but Nicole kept going. She didn’t cry out—too scared, too fueled by panic and the choking terror.
She ran faster as she thundered through the nearby square. Then she snaked through the streets. The sights blurred around her as she pushed herself faster, faster ...
And all the while, his words echoed in her mind.
I don’t know what the fuck you are.
She glanced at the claws—claws that had formed from her short fingernails.
Claws.
Fangs.
Consuming thirst for blood.
Oh, God. The cop might not know what she was, but Nicole was very, very afraid that she did. And she was also afraid that she’d soon be just like the bastard who’d attacked her.
A killer. A monster.
A vampire.
C
HAPTER
O
NE
 
Six months later ...
W
hen the woman with the midnight-black hair and dark red lips strolled into the cantina, he knew his hunt was finally at an end.
Keenan lifted the tequila to his lips, barely feeling the fire of the liquid as he tossed it down his throat. It had been a long hunt, but after all this time, he’d found her.
Nicole St. James.
The only charge who’d ever escaped him. The woman that, sure as the devil, had changed his life. The rage began to heat his blood because it shouldn’t have been like this. Not for him. Not for her.
He slammed the glass down on the countertop. She hadn’t even glanced his way. She’d just sauntered to the old, scarred tables in the back. What was she doing?
Nicole St. James was a schoolteacher. She was a woman who wore long skirts and loose, gauzy tops. She wasn’t a woman who wore torn and faded blue jeans, jeans so tight they hugged her thighs and hips, and she didn’t wear tops like that—tops that barely covered her breasts and left her midriff bare.
Too much flesh.
He yanked his gaze back up. Did she even realize how much danger surrounded her? And why was the woman in Mexico? She should have been home in New Orleans, enjoying the
life
he’d given her.
The one he’d sacrificed so much to make certain she had.
But no, she was leaning over some man and skimming her fingers down the guy’s tanned neck as she whispered to him.
Seduction.
The man rose, laughing, and turned away from his friends. Someone called out,
“Mamacita!”
as Nicole and the man disappeared through the small back door.
Keenan’s shoulders straightened as he rose from this chair. Okay, so he’d expected ... more. The woman hadn’t even glanced his way. Not once. She’d found her stud, taken his hand, and led the guy right outside.
Eyes narrowing, Keenan stalked after them. The man could find another lover.
He
had plans for Nicole St. James.
He didn’t bother going out softly. Keenan wanted them to know he was coming. He shoved his palm against the door and the wood splintered beneath his touch.
Then he was outside. The night air, thick with humidity and musky with the scent of wild animals, hit him. One more step forward and Keenan caught the soft whispers in the air.
A woman’s husky voice.
A man’s hungry mutters.
The heat inside of Keenan flared hotter.
He turned the corner, and he could see them half-hidden in the shadows. Kissing. Nicole’s hands were all over the man. She was up on her toes, and her head lowered as she began to kiss her way down the man’s neck.
Keenan crossed his arms over his chest. He cleared his throat. “Uh ... sorry to interrupt.” No, not sorry at all.
Nicole glanced back at him.
Same deep green eyes.
But there was no surprise in her stare. So she’d known he was there? Well, it was pretty hard to disguise the smash and splinter of wood.
But Romeo must have been too far gone to hear because he whirled in surprise with his beady eyes narrowed. The guy’s shoulders blocked Keenan’s view of Nicole. The guy snarled,
“Vete a la chingada!”
Right. Been there. He didn’t exactly plan to be taking another trip to hell. “You need to leave.”
The guy blinked.
“I want her.” Keenan’s voice rumbled too much when he spoke, but fury churned inside of him, demanding release.
So he was having trouble controlling his emotions. Getting slapped with all these feelings hadn’t really been part of his game plan.
“Too bad,” the guy snapped, his English tipped with his Mexican accent. “She’s busy tonight.”
Her fingers curved over the would-be-lover’s shoulders. “Let’s get out of here.”
Keenan shook his head. “No, Nicole, you’re not going anywhere.”
Silence.
Then, slowly, her fingers unfurled from the man. She shifted her stance, took a step forward, and Keenan stared right into those green eyes—eyes that had haunted him for so many nights.
“How do you know my name?” She whispered.
He smiled. “You’d be surprised at the things I know about you.”
“I’ll take care of this
cabron!
” Romeo promised.
Cabron.
Bastard. Keenan lifted a brow at the guy. “You should leave now.” Nicole didn’t glance at Romeo. Her stare stayed focused on Keenan. “Really fast.
Leave.
”
“What? No, we’re—”
Her head turned toward the man. “Leave.”
His eyelids flickered.
“Puta. ”
“Yeah, great, call me whatever you want, but just go.” Her hand came up and pressed against the guy’s chest. He stumbled back about five feet.
“Go.”
“How did you—” Romeo’s eyes widened and then he turned and ran back into the bar.
Nicole shoved her hair back over her shoulder. Then she braced her legs apart and kept her arms loose at her sides.
Interesting. When had the little schoolteacher learned to prepare for an attack?
“Who are you?” She asked him, her face showing no hint of fear.
“I’m someone who’s been looking for you.” True enough. “For a very long time.”
She gave a little shrug. “And here it is, your lucky night. Looks like you found me.”
No, he hadn’t found the woman he’d expected.
“So what are you going to do now?” She murmured as she walked closer to him. The moonlight spilled onto her face. His eyes narrowed. Her face was a little thinner. Her cheekbones were more defined. Her eyes were still as wide and dark, but her lips appeared redder and plumper than before. The woman was still beautiful, no doubt, but ... a darkness seemed to cling to her.
Her body was as slender as he remembered. Her breasts still round and firm and her hips—
no.
He shouldn’t be noticing that. Her body didn’t matter.
“Like what you see?” She whispered, and her slow drawling voice sounded like ...
Temptation.
He backed up a step.
One black brow lifted. “Now, surely, you aren’t afraid of me.”
“I fear nothing.” After what he’d seen, what he’d done, there was simply nothing left to stir fear in his heart.
“Good for you,” she muttered and the words didn’t seem sexy. More ... annoyed then. But then she blinked and the heavy-lidded mask came back. “Tell me how you know my name.”
She was almost close enough to touch right now, but he wouldn’t touch her. No, he never touched. Touching was far too dangerous.
You didn’t touch unless you were ready to kill. He wasn’t ready ... yet.
“I’ve known your name for a long time.” No sense lying. Besides, lies weren’t possible for his kind. “Ever since you were put on my list.”
He heard the hard inhale of her breath.
“L-list?” Now there was fear flickering in her eyes. Her voice hardened as she said, “You’re one of
them.”
“Them?” Curiosity stirred within him.
“A hunter.” Her bow lips tightened in distaste when she spoke the term.
But she was right. Now he was a hunter and she was his prey.
“I haven’t done anything wrong! I haven’t killed anyone—not since—” She broke off and tears filled her gaze. “I thought if I didn’t hurt anyone else, you were just supposed to leave me alone.”
He could only stare back at her. “Leaving you on your own isn’t an option for me.”
Her chin snapped up. “I won’t make this easy for you.”
“No, I didn’t expect you would.” Nothing had been easy with her.
“I’m not going to be the weak target you think.” Her hands were fisted at her sides. “You want to take me in, then come and try.”
He blinked at that. “I—”
“You’re not takin’ her! Get the
gringo!”
The shout had Keenan tensing. He glanced back and saw that Romeo was back, and he’d brought friends. The drunks from inside—only they didn’t look so drunk now. No, they looked furious and very, very determined.
They were also armed with knives and guns. What?
Why?
Because one of them had lost a potential lover for the night?
“
We’re
taking her. Not you,” Romeo threw out as he and his men strode forward. “We didn’t wait this long to find her just to have some
gringo
get in our way.”
Nicole hurriedly backed up.
The men brushed past Keenan, barely seeming to notice him.
“I know what you are,” Romeo called to Nicole. “A monster like you ...” He spat on the ground. “Killed my mother.”
Nicole wasn’t a monster. She was just a woman.
“Your kind thinks you’re so safe ... so much better than the rest of us ...” This came from an older man with graying black hair and cold brown eyes. “Think again,
señorita.
” His long fingernails looked almost clawlike.
“I-I don’t ... I don’t want to hurt you.” Nicole retreated a few more feet. A fence stood behind her. An old wooden fence that had to be at least six feet tall.
Trapped.
Keenan watched—and waited. The men weren’t even glancing at him now as they closed in on Nicole. Six men against one woman. Were those fair odds?
I had to just stand back before. For so many years. Just stand and watch.
He was done with watching.
“You don’t want to hurt me?” Romeo repeated. “Then what the hell were you planning to do to me tonight,
puta?
I know damn well what you were—”
She shook her head. “I had to—I didn’t mean—”
And it must have been a trick of the light, because her green eyes seemed to darken with her fear.
Then she spun around and leapt over the fence.
Leapt over that six-foot-high fence in one bound.
“Get her!” The old man screamed.
“Don’t even
think
of touching her,” Keenan said, his voice quiet, but cutting through the guy’s scream like a knife. He could hear the thud of Nicole’s footsteps as she fled—she was rushing away far faster than a human could run.
But Nicole was human.
No, she
had
been human.
The men paused, for just a moment, then they sprang for the fence.
“I said,” Keenan growled, the fury breaking through his control because he still hadn’t fully mastered the whole control concept, “don’t even think of—”
The old guy lifted his gun and pointed it at Keenan’s chest. “This fight ain’t yours.”
Romeo made it over the fence. Two others were right on his heels.
Keenan stepped toward the gun. “Yes. It is.”
“She would’ve killed you tonight.” The gun barrel trembled in the old man’s hands. “You’re lucky, we saved you—”
Keenan grabbed the gun in a move too fast for the human’s eyes to track. He slammed the butt of the weapon into the man’s head and heard the thud of impact even as the guy fell to the ground. And as the man fell, Keenan turned fast and fired the gun—once, twice—and took down the men still in the back alley.
He didn’t kill them. He just gave them something painful to remember him by. “Go after her again,” he promised, “and the bullets will be in your hearts.”
They didn’t answer because they were too busy groaning in pain and writhing on the ground. Keenan stared at them a moment longer as he memorized their faces. He always kept his promises.
He turned, holding the gun close, and jumped right over the fence. He followed the sound of the screams and the scent of the blood as he tracked his prey once more.
Nicole wasn’t getting away from him, and those bastards after her would learn that when an angel spoke—they damn well better listen.
Even if that angel had fallen.
 
Outrunning humans wasn’t normally hard. But when the humans in question had baited a trap and you’d walked right into it because you were so freaking thirsty—well, then things became considerably more difficult.
Nicole’s knees barely buckled as she cleared the fence, and, seconds later, she started streaking across the empty lot as she rushed for the darkness on the other side.

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