Angel of Darkness (31 page)

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Authors: Cynthia Eden

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

BOOK: Angel of Darkness
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Time for death.
Nicole fired and the bullet drove into Carlos’s heart. The shifter fell back, eyes wide. Not dead, not yet. Still struggling to breathe, the shifter fought hard to hold on. But Death was coming. Walking right there with his arms outstretched.
Az stalked from those shadows. His face was tight and remorseless. The shifter was gasping, choking as he labored to live. Shifters didn’t always die as easily as they should. The beasts inside fought hard for survival.
A footstep whispered behind him. Keenan didn’t glance back. He didn’t want to take his eyes off Carlos. Not until Az touched him. But ...
“Blood,” Nicole whispered and she stepped back. “The woman—Keenan is she—”
“Don’t worry about her.”
Willing bait
.
Az was almost right over Carlos then. Only a few more moments.
“Choose,” Az said.
Keenan blinked.
What?
There was no choice. Never had been. What was he—
But Nicole was moving, spinning around and screaming as she shoved Keenan to the side.
The woman—the bait—she’d followed them. When Keenan flew back, the bait’s right hand lifted and she plunged a thick, wooden stake right into Nicole’s chest.
Keenan grabbed the woman. Touched her—and she was dead in the same second. He ripped the stake out of Nicole’s chest.
Not her heart. Not her heart, not—
“
It’s too late,” Az said. “It’s time for the vampire to pass.”
Then everything got very quiet as time seemed to slow. Keenan could hear the harsh gasp of Nicole’s breaths. He could feel the warm weight of her body against his.
He looked up and Az was right there, standing over him and reaching down. Az wasn’t there to take the shifter because that asshole was still alive. Carlos was still alive when he should have been
dead.
And now Carlos was rising to his feet. He’d dug all the bullets out of his chest.
A walking dead man
. Death hadn’t taken his prey, because Az had broken the rules.
Bastard!
“No,” Az said, shaking his head, and Keenan realized he’d yelled his accusations at the angel. “You’re the one who broke the rules.” Az shrugged and his wings flared behind him. “I’m just cleaning up the mess you made.”
Carlos shifted then, transforming with a crunch and crack of bones into the thick, furry beast that was the coyote.
“Don’t make this harder than it has to be.” Az didn’t glance at the coyote. His eyes stayed on Keenan. “I know you lust for her, but Keenan, she’s isn’t worth what you—”
“You’re
not
touching her.” He pulled Nicole closer and edged away from Az. Keenan pushed Nicole’s lips against his throat. “Drink, sweet.
Drink.
”
Az sighed and shook his head. “I’ve done this for you, Keenan. I risked wrath because I know you’re better than this mortal world.”
“Better, huh?” She wasn’t biting him. He could feel the edge of her teeth, but she wasn’t biting. Nicole barely seemed to be breathing. “Fuck you, Az,” he yelled. “She’s the only thing I want!”
“A vampire.” Az’s lips tightened. “A killer.”
“You think we’re so different from her?” Why wouldn’t she drink? “How many souls have we taken, Az?
How many
?” He held her so tight, but her body was limp in his arms.
“We carry souls. Humans and
Other
kill themselves. We are just—”
Carlos howled behind him. The shifter was fully an animal now, and that shift would have helped him to heal.
He should have died from that last gunshot. Az was changing the game.
“You’re stepping over the line,” Keenan grabbed Nicole’s hand. Her claws were still out, barely. He used them to slice his neck and then he forced her mouth back to his throat.
Drink.
Even if the blonde had missed Nicole’s heart, his vamp could die from blood loss. There was so much blood.
Her lips began to move on his throat. Lightly, but, she
was
drinking.
Yes.
“Stay with me, sweet,” he whispered. “Just stay with me.”
Az’s eyes narrowed. “Why does she matter? You were an angel—and you can be again. This world, the hell here, you don’t need it.”
The coyote began to shift once more as he transformed back into the form of a man. Every shift would bring him strength. That was the way of the beast.
Keenan said, “I might not need the world.” The pain. The hate. The wars. “But I need
her.
”
Az’s wings stretched. “
Why?
”
The angel seemed lost. Probably because he was. “Because I love her.” Simple.
“Angels don’t love!”
“I do.” Nicole’s breath blew lightly against his throat. Good, she’d taken enough blood to keep her alive until he could get them out of there. Keenan pushed her behind his body, positioning her so that he was in front of her and the brick wall was at her back.
“You can’t stay down here.” A muscle jerked in Az’s jaw. “This isn’t the place for you.”
“Wherever she is ...
that’s
where I’ll be.”
Carlos stood now, strong, grinning, his claws out and his sharpened teeth glinting.
“You going to sic your dog on me?” Keenan demanded, and Nicole’s fingers pressed into his back. “You’re the one who sent him here, after all.” Yes, he’d figured that out.
The alley. The cathedral.
“You’re the only one who knew what this place meant to Nicole.”
Az’s smile held an evil edge. Damn. This guy was supposed to be the good one?
“I thought angels helped people,” Nicole said, her voice weak but clear. “I thought you were supposed to protect humans, to keep them safe!”
“Told you before, you’re not human.” Disgust had Az’s lips twisting. “You should have died that night. Couldn’t you see? We were trying to be merciful!”
Carlos stalked closer.
“How?” Nicole demanded. “By letting that bastard rape me? By letting him rip out my throat?”
“The cancer inside you would have broken your body. You would have suffered for months. Just like your mother, you would have withered away.” Az lifted his hand and snapped his fingers. “Instead, your pain lasted only a few moments.”
Cancer?
“Didn’t know that, did you, Keenan? Why did you think your charge was racing for those church steps that night? Humans always turn to God when they need something.” Az stepped back and cleared the path for Carlos. “Then they turn away when he needs them.” Az pointed at Keenan. “
You
shouldn’t have turned away.”
Keenan held Az’s stare and felt the fury rise even higher.
“This is your last chance.” Az expelled a hard breath. “You can still come back.”
You just have to kill her.
Keenan smiled. “Fuck you, Az.”
Az blinked, then his jaw tightened. “Then you’ve chosen. I wonder what waits in the next world for an angel that fell?”
Carlos ran toward them, his claws out, long, sharp, and deadly.
Keenan wasn’t afraid. The rage was too strong. He could touch and kill and he’d take Carlos out.
But would Carlos manage to kill him in that instant, too? It just depended on who could strike first, who would be fastest ...
But the rush of wings filled his ears before he could attack. Az grabbed Keenan and hauled him away from Nicole. The bastard’s grip was unbreakable and they rammed into the side of the alley.
And Carlos—grinning bastard—swiped out with his claws and struck Nicole.
“No!” Keenan leapt for him.
Az tightened his grip. “You can’t kill me with just a touch.” Az held him pinned to the building. The faint rays of sunlight spilled into the alley. “This time, you
will
watch her die.”
No, he wouldn’t. Keenan rammed his head into Az’s. But Az just laughed.
Nicole screamed.
Keenan’s gaze flew to her. More blood flowed. Carlos had sliced her arms and chest with his claws.
“A vamp, especially one so new, is no match for a shifter.” Az sounded so detached.
“
Nicole!
”
She swiped out with her own claws and managed to catch Carlos in the side. He grunted at the pain and promised, “I’ll kill you, then I’ll take your lover’s blood.”
“The sunlight will speed up her death.” Az smiled and told Keenan, “Don’t worry, she won’t suffer long.”
Fucking crazy bastard.
“No,” Keenan agreed, “she won’t.” And the rage poured from him—
In a ball of red-hot flame that blasted into Az.
This time, Az was the one who screamed—a loud, pain-filled cry as he flew back. Az hit the ground and rolled over and over, trying to put out the fire.
“That fire didn’t come from man, asshole.”
From me.
“I conjured it and I damn well can control it.”
Not you.
So it would burn the flesh right off Az. Az would heal, eventually, but first, he’d hurt like hell.
“
I’ll take his blood ... and he’ll be my weapon ...
” The shifter’s taunt.
He spun and saw Carlos still circling Nicole.
“I’m no one’s weapon!” Keenan roared. “Not anymore.” Then he grabbed Carlos.
The shifter died before he could scream.
Carlos’s body fell to the ground and thudded into the earth. Nicole’s shoulders slumped.
“It’s okay.” Fury cracked Keenan’s voice. “It’s over now.”
Her gaze darted over his shoulder. Pain and fear flickered in her gaze. “No,” she said very definitely. “It’s not.”
She grabbed his arm and tried to yank him to the side.
Too late.
Fire slammed into his back.
C
HAPTER
S
EVENTEEN
 
K
eenan had covered her with his body. When the fire hit, he’d launched at Nicole and protected her.
Always protecting me.
Now he was on the ground, rolling, trying to put out the fire that had burned his flesh.
She glanced up and had to shove the hair out of her eyes. Az was on his feet. The angel’s body was covered in blisters and burns just like Keenan’s, and Az was advancing on them.
“I didn’t want it to end this way, Keenan. I wanted you to come back.”
Keenan pushed to his knees.
But Az flew toward him and slammed his feet into Keenan’s injured back, driving Keenan into the ground. Then the angel rose up, probably to better prepare for another hit.
Nicole reached for Keenan and wrapped her arms carefully around his body. “Keenan ...”
He was so weak. She could
feel
the weakness pushing at her. He’d given her his blood and put himself at a disadvantage so that she’d live.
Her right hand touched her chest. The stake had come close to her heart, but, lucky for her, the psycho bitch had a really crappy aim. Blood had soaked her clothes. Her blood, his.
Sirens wailed in the distance. Finally, someone had noticed all the hell breaking loose in that alley and thought to call for help.
Finally.
“Help won’t come in time,” Az said as he touched down a few feet away. “I’ve got a job to do—
and I will do it.
I won’t hesitate. I won’t make the mistake you did.
Emotion
won’t stop me.”
Then he came at Keenan again. Az grabbed him and yanked him right out of Nicole’s arms. Az tossed Keenan onto the other side of the alley. Keenan flew into the bricks, and a thick crack appeared to run the length of the wall.
“
Stop!
” She ran after Az with her claws out. “Damn you,
stop!
”
Az spun toward her. And smiled. “Ready to choose?” he whispered.
She stumbled to a halt.
“I told you before ... it’s all so easy. Your life ... or his.” His wings eased down. “We can make this right. Your soul should have been taken. Order has to come back.”
She glanced at Keenan. He was struggling to rise. If he could just get to his feet ...
“You don’t care enough about him to die, do you?” Az laughed at that. “Keenan
loves
you, but this time, you’ll be the one who stands there and watches death come.”
“No.” She wouldn’t have much time. She’d have to be fast. Fast ...
“You won’t give your life for him
!
”
Keenan was on his feet. His eyes were wide and desperate as he lunged at Az’s back.
“I’ll do better than that,” she said softly, and it was her turn to smile and show her fangs. “I’ll kill for him.”
Az blinked. “Wh—”
She leapt forward and grabbed him. Nicole’s teeth sank into his throat and her claws ripped into his chest even as Az’s hands closed tightly around her.
One touch ... just one ...
Cold spread from his hands and sank into her flesh.
Death.
But Az was trembling against her and his blood was in her mouth. The angel wasn’t getting away unscathed this time. Actually, he wasn’t getting away at all.
Time to kill ... and time to die. For both of them.
Right there, in that damn forsaken alley.
Right there
.
Az had been right. Six months ago, she’d gone to the cathedral to pray. To ask God for strength, but his house had been closed to her.
Then the devil had come into the alley.
But she hadn’t turned away from her faith. Az had been wrong about that. She’d prayed and she’d hoped and she’d gotten her angel.
I’ll kill for him. I’ll die for him.
Because Keenan had given her a reason to live. Hope. Love.
“
No!
” Az shoved her back, a shove that sent her flying ten feet and thudding into a window. Glass crunched around her.
And Az hit the ground. Or rather, he hit when Keenan crashed into him and drove the guy down. Then Keenan started ramming his fist into Az’s face, again and again. The brutal thuds filled the air and almost drowned out the approaching sirens.
Nicole pushed to her feet. She took a step and staggered.
Strong, hard hands caught her. “You okay?”
Sam.
She blinked and realized that blood was dripping into her eyes. She could hardly see him—
Sam lifted his hand and pulled a chunk out of glass out of her brow. “Easy ...”
Now wasn’t the time for
easy.
Two angels were trying to kill each other, and one of those angels—
I love.
Wind whispered against her body as she fought against Sam’s hold. “We have to help Keenan!”
“I don’t think Keenan’s the one who needs help,” Sam muttered. “Where’s the coyote? We need to stop him. If he gets his hand on any angel blood ...”
She broke Sam’s hold. “He’s dead.” She hurried for Keenan as she tossed that bit out.
Az didn’t seem to be fighting anymore. The angel just lay there, taking the hits, as he stared up at Keenan with swollen, confused eyes.
Then his gaze drifted to her. “You ...” He licked busted lips. “Should be ... dead.”
Keenan yanked him up. “No,
you’re
the one who’s dying.”
“T-touched her ...” Az shook his head and managed to stand up on his own. “She should
die.
”
Yes, he had touched her and she was sure he’d touched with the intent to kill.
But she was still breathing. How about that?
“Maybe it’s not her time to die,” Sam drawled as he stalked closer.
Az weaved on his feet. The blisters and burns on his body weren’t healing. Keenan already seemed fine once again. Powerful and strong, with not a mark on him, but Az ...
“She was on the list.” Az shook his head and tried to straighten. Two fallen angels surrounded him on either side and Nicole saw the fear in his gaze. “I
saw
her death. Here. Tonight.”
“Really?” Sam didn’t sound convinced. “If you were so sure she was gonna die, then why team up with the coyote?”
Az didn’t answer. He did spit out a mouthful of blood.
“Maybe you weren’t so sure she’d die,” Sam said. “Maybe you were just trying to change fate your own damn self.”
“I was trying to give Keenan a chance at
redemption!
”
Nicole’s claws dug into her palms. “You didn’t see my death,”
so good at twisting truth,
“and you didn’t see Keenan’s.”
His eyes hardened. “
I saw death!
” His brows furrowed. “Should have died ...
should have died!
The touch only doesn’t work on those with angel bl—” He broke off and his gaze lazered on Keenan. “You—you gave her your blood,
damn you
! You made her stronger so she could hold off the touch!”
Nothing was stronger than angel blood.
Az took a step forward. “I’ll touch her again ... she won’t be able to hold off the Touch.
I’ll touch her again!
”
“You’re not touching her.” Keenan’s hands were fisted and bloody. “And the death you saw ... maybe that was your
own
death, asshole.”
That had Az blinking. “I was trying to help you. We’ve worked together for two thousand years, I didn’t want to see you lose everything for a damned soul!”
Damned? Goose bumps rose on her flesh. She didn’t want to be damned. She wanted a second chance. When she looked up, Nicole could see the crosses over the cathedral. Black against the pink dawn.
Before the sun comes, death will take a soul.
Keenan’s body vibrated with fury. “I don’t want your help, Az. I don’t want redemption.”
“
What do you want?
” Az screamed.
Seemed to her that the angel was losing control of his emotions.
“Now you’re sounding human.” The drawl was Sam’s, but his words echoed her thoughts.
Keenan caught Nicole’s hand and smoothed his fingers over her knuckles. “I have what I want.”
Those sirens were nearly on them. The cops would be bursting into the alley any moment. They wouldn’t see Az, she knew that. The cops would just see her, Sam, and Keenan—and two dead bodies.
“You have nothing.” Disgust tightened Az’s mouth. “You think she’ll stand by you? The bloodlust will get to her again, and she’ll take any man who comes her way. She’ll kill, she’ll—”
“Who are you to judge me?” Nicole’s voice came out ice cold. “You’ve killed. You set up these two—” A jerk of her head toward Carlos and the woman “to die tonight. You
knew
they wouldn’t make it out of this alley. But you put their deaths in motion. If you’d left them alone ...”
“Instead of baiting a damn trap!” Sam charged, looking ready to do some killing of his own. Probably because he was.
“They’d be alive,” Nicole finished.
Az laughed then. He threw back his head and laughed long and hard.
The laughter mixed with the sirens. She could see the flash of the police lights now.
“I’m a ranking angel. One of the first created.
Favored—
”
A burst of wind whipped through the alley. The wind grabbed Nicole’s hair and tossed it into her face.
And Az staggered back a step beneath the force of the gust.
“You real sure about that favored status?” Keenan asked.
Nicole saw the sudden pallor of Az’s skin. He tried to retreat, but Sam caught him and held tight.
“You’re not going anywhere,
brother.
Nowhere but hell.” Sam told him.
Az turned and his wings knocked into Sam and sent the Fallen hurtling back.
Then Az faced Nicole and Keenan once more. “You’ll both die,” he promised. “I
saw
it!” Then there were flames in his hand. Conjured flames that he threw right at them.
Keenan jumped in front of her and shielded Nicole with his body.
But the flames didn’t touch him.
The flames didn’t touch anything or anyone.
That wind whipped again and the fire vanished.
This time, the laughter that rang out was Sam’s.
Nicole pushed Keenan to the side and saw that Sam was rising.
Az stared down at his hands. “How could—”
“I think that’s a definite,” Sam broke over his words, smirking. “Your ass isn’t favored anymore.”
Az’s body jerked, contorted, and flew five feet up in the air, as if he’d been yanked on a puppet string.
“Did you ever think ...” Sam’s voice was pitched high to carry to the rising angel. “That Keenan didn’t fall because he was being punished?”
Keenan’s arm was around her, holding her close. She could feel the warmth of his body and the strength of his muscles.
Safe.
Az was screaming, struggling, but rising higher and higher.
“Maybe ...” Sam yelled to be heard over the howling wind and the sirens. “Just maybe he fell because
he
was favored.”
Keenan stared up at Az. When he spoke, his voice was grim. “Beware, my friend, this will hurt.”
It looked like Az already was hurting. Was it wrong that that made her happy? No, she figured it wasn’t wrong at all.
“I’ve heard,” Keenan called, still staring up at Az’s rapidly disappearing body, “it’s the fire that makes you scream the loudest.”
Az screamed again, a long, desperate cry that echoed through the streets. He shot upward and his wings flapped uselessly. Then he vanished.
“The fire won’t be all he has to worry about.” Sam turned to them with a shark’s smile. “Once his ass hits earth again, he’s mine.”
“No,” Keenan said, “for all that he’s done, I’ll—”
“
Police!
” A hard voice barked. “Turn around and
put your hands up!
”

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