Angel of Darkness (The Fallen 1)

“If you come at him again,” the blonde said clearly to Keenan, “I’ll have to shoot you.”

Sam laughed at that. A deep, rumbling laugh. Then he said, “You can try, but a bullet won’t keep him down.”

Good to know.

“And you’d do better to be aiming at her, anyway,” Sam added, pointing his index finger right at Nicole.

Asshole. This was the guy they were turning to for help? “A bullet won’t keep me down either,” Nicole felt obliged to point out.

But the woman’s aim didn’t falter. “She hasn’t done anything,” the lady said, voice clear and arctic. “You two are the ones with the fight, and I’m not looking to be collateral damage.”

Because being collateral damage sucked.

“Does the fact that she’s a vampire matter?” Sam asked, with mild curiosity flavoring his words.

“Doesn’t matter. Neither does the fact that you two”—now the gun swung between Sam and Keenan—“are demons.”

“Now that’s just insulting.” Sam brushed off the broken mirror shards and rose slowly. “Just because you’re in hell, it doesn’t mean we’re demons.”

Her arm lifted, and she pointed the gun at his heart. “Don’t move.”

He stilled.

“Good boy.” Her voice mocked him, but her eyes turned back to Nicole. “I’d advise you to leave with me. Whatever these two are doing, you don’t want to be part of it.”

“Too late,” Sam murmured. “It’s all about her.”

Nicole wet her lips. “Thanks, but …” She stepped closer to Keenan. “I’m not going anywhere.”

The woman’s jaw clenched. “Your funeral.”

“She’s already had one.” Sam couldn’t seem to keep quiet, and—judging by the expression on his face—he seemed to be enjoying this.

The blonde with the gun shook her head and backed toward the door, never lowering her weapon.

“I’ll see you again, right?” Sam called. “Seline, you will be back to dance again tomorrow.” The guy made the last part sound like an order.

Seline didn’t speak. She kept her gun up, took a few more steps back, and disappeared through the open doorway.

Because she was watching Sam so closely, Nicole saw the flicker of his eyelids and the fleeting expression of … disappointment on his face. Interesting. She filed that little flash away for later.

Sam brushed off more glass shards and sighed. “There a reason you came slumming tonight, Fallen? Or were you just looking to get tempted?”

Keenan’s hands fisted. “Az wants her.”

Sam didn’t blink. “Really.” No surprise there, but then, he’d all but told her this would be happening.

You’ll suffer.

“Guess you can’t cheat death,” Sam murmured, not sounding the least bit ruffled to hear that she’d be dead, again, soon.

Not his problem.

They’d made a mistake coming there.

“Sucks for you.” Sam stalked forward. “But what the hell do you think I’m going to do? Why do I care if another vamp bites the dust?”

She winced. “Keenan, let’s go.” She wasn’t going to beg this bastard for anything, not even her for her life. He won’t help me.

“Right.” Sam nodded. “Go, Keenan. Go screw your little vamp while you have the chance. And when Az comes for her, and you try to stop him—well, then you’ll find out just what death is like for a Fallen.” His lips twisted into a cruel grin. “Think you’re heading upstairs again?” He paused for a beat of time. “Think again.”

Someone punched her in the chest. No, it just felt like that. The thought of Keenan dying … it hurt. No. “He’s not dying for me,” she said. She wouldn’t let him.

“He fell for you.” Sam shrugged his broad shoulders. “Dying’s the next step.”

“Sam.” Keenan’s voice snapped out, and the room seemed to tremble.

No, the room did tremble, and a smile curved Sam’s lips. “Getting some of your bite back, are you? Not being a demon-wannabe anymore?”

What?

Pieces of mirror crunched beneath Sam’s boots. He stopped pacing right in front of Keenan. Her gaze darted between them. Same height, same build. One dark, one light. Power seemed to crackle in the air around them.

“What would you do … for her?” Sam wanted to know. “To save her, would you fall again?”

Keenan’s eyes cut to her.

Oh, damn. He really did it. He fell … for me.

She swallowed the lump that was trying to choke her. He’d fallen for the woman she’d been before her change. When he found out about all that she’d done since becoming a vampire …

Tell him.

If he found out, he’d turn away and she wouldn’t have to worry about him risking his life for her.

“I’m not letting her die,” Keenan said flatly. “She lived before, that means she should get a new shot. Az—the bastard’s making this personal.”

Now that had her eyes snapping up to his face. She caught the flex of his strong jaw.

“Ah …” Sam sighed. “You don’t buy that her name’s on that big, magical list of death, huh? You think Az is trying to make an example of you? Trying to show all the other angels that if they f**k up, they won’t get rewarded—no falling and pleasure for them—just another nightmare?”

“You tell me.” Fury vibrated in Keenan’s voice. “You’ve known him a lot longer than me.”

“True.” Sam’s smile faded. “I know him well enough to say he’d do anything to keep his good little soldiers in line.” His stare, black now and so cold, flickered to Nicole. “Killing you wouldn’t give him a moment’s hesitation.”

Great. Nice to be so special—or rather, so insignificant. “Can we fight him?” She asked.

“You can’t. You’re just a vamp. You don’t have the power.”

Again with the making-her-feel-great talk.

“But you …” Sam nodded as he focused on Keenan. “If you got your powers back, there’d be no stopping you.”

“My powers are gone.”

“Really? Then how’d you throw fire the other night?”

“How did you know—”

Sam laughed. “There’s little in this world I don’t know about. Pay people enough, and they’ll tell you anything. A vamp, Connor, came running to tell me about your visit to the blood room.”