Angel Betrayed (The Fallen 2)

“You’re telling me that Rogziel will hurt an innocent human ?” Sam demanded. Not the way of the punishment angels. At least, not those who still had wings.

“No, that’s not what I’m saying!” Tomas’s stare glittered. “I’m saying he’ll slice her up, he’ll enjoy it, and he won’t give a damn about her being innocent or not.” And his eyes were still on Seline. “Isn’t that right?”

Sam slowly eased his hold on Tomas. He glanced at Seline. She was okay. He’d gotten to her in time. So why did his chest still ache?

Seline swallowed and nodded. “I don’t—I didn’t think angels could do the things he’s done. There was a vampire. Karen.” Her lips trembled. “I did some checking on her. She hadn’t killed anyone, but Rogziel had said Karen knew where his real prey was hiding. He said he’d make Karen talk.” Her eyes squeezed shut. “By the time I got there, there wasn’t a whole lot was left of Karen. All I could do was hold her hand before she died.”

Bastard. “That’s when you decided to get away?” Sam asked.

“That’s when I knew he’d be coming to kill me soon. He said Karen was an abomination. That she deserved his punishment just for existing.” Her smile was broken. “I fell into that abomination category, too.”

The hell she did. His back teeth clenched. Sam gritted out, “And the real prey?”

“Turned out that was you,” she whispered. “But as far as I can tell, you didn’t even know Karen.”

An image clicked in his head then. A young blond vampire, freshly turned. Nervous hands. Wide eyes. The woman had wanted to become human again. She’d been turned by a monster in a dark alley, and she’d just wanted to get her life back.

She hadn’t realized—not until Sam had broken her heart and told her the truth—there was no going back. Not for any of them.

She’d been an innocent, one hurt by the world. One who hadn’t deserved anyone’s punishment. Rogziel, you will beg me to kill you. Beg.

“He doesn’t care about collateral damage,” Tomas growled. “He’ll use anyone, do anything, to get what he wants.” Tomas put his hand to his throat and tried to stop the bleeding. His voice rasped when he said, “What he wants is you, Sammael. Your head on a platter for him.”

An abomination. Sam cupped Seline’s chin in his hand. As long as Rogziel was alive, Seline would never truly be free. Freedom was the one thing she wanted.

He’d give her anything.

Just as he’d give Rogziel what the bastard wanted. “Then take me to him.”

Seline’s eyes widened in horror. “No!”

Sam lifted the bloody claw. “It’s not a mortal weapon.” His lips twisted. “Made from a shifter, by a shifter. With this, I can kill Rogziel.”

Her breath rushed out as Seline looked at him like he was crazy. “Or he can summon a hound to kill you! You can’t just run in there and go up against him.”

“I’m not afraid of Rogziel.” Now he was just insulted. “He fears me.” That was the heart of the matter. The true reason why Rogziel had been jonesing for his death all these years.

He’d seen the taint of madness in Rogziel’s stare so long ago. Not that the powers above would listen to him. Rogziel had still been the “good” angel then.

While Sam had been the one who slaughtered humans.

“You think he’s not going to be ready for you?” She grabbed his arms and actually shook him. “Look, I get it. You’re the all-powerful Fallen who kicks most supernatural ass, but you can’t stop hellhounds!”

“Unless you’ve got a punishment angel on your side,” Tomas muttered, “But they aren’t exactly thick on the ground.”

Seline didn’t look at the other Fallen, and because she was staring straight at him, Sam saw understanding fill her eyes. “You have me,” she whispered.

Sonofabitch.

“I can help you.” Her shoulders straightened, and she gave a firm, little nod. “I will help you because you’re not going anyplace without me.”

No, he wouldn’t leave her. A smile began to curve his lips.

“Oh, no way, no way!” Tomas grabbed Sam’s arm.

He knocked the other Fallen onto his ass.

Tomas shook his head and crawled to his feet. “He said you, just you. If he catches sight of anyone else, Sierra is dead.”

Maybe. Maybe not. “Then I’ll just have to make certain no one catches sight of her.”

Lucky for him, he knew just the witch to use for a job like this. Good thing the devil wasn’t the only one who spent time making deals with the Other.

Rogziel flew through the clouds. The world whipped by beneath him. A blur that he barely saw.

Maybe they changed the f**king locks.

His teeth snapped together as Tomas’s voice rang through his mind. The Fallen was wrong. He could enter heaven, he could slide into hell, and he could walk the earth. He punished the damned, no matter where they were.

He saw the white columns up ahead. Waiting for him. His home.

Perfect. Peaceful.

Open, as it had always been.

Open . . .

“Not this time, Rogziel.” Delia’s cool voice stopped him.

His feet touched down on the marble floor, and she immediately appeared before him. Her wings stretched up high behind her, the way an angel’s wings always did before an attack.

The way his wings were stretching now.

“This isn’t the place for you,” she said in her flat, slightly cool voice.

He stared at her. “I don’t answer to you, child.” And that’s all she was to him. A child. Barely a few centuries old. He didn’t care what Delia wanted. What she said. He was the one with the power.

As far as he knew, Delia had never even ventured into hell. Like many of the others, perhaps she was afraid of what she’d find waiting for her.

“No, you don’t answer to me.” Doors were behind her. Massive white doors that led to paradise. “Just think of me as the messenger.” No expression crossed her face. “This place isn’t for you,” she told him again.

He wanted to rip her apart. Make her scream. Beg.

Burn.

She took a step back. Ah, so she did feel his power.

But she shook her head. “Good-bye, Rogziel.”

He grabbed her arm. “No.” Because a lick of fear had cut into his heart. “I’m an angel. This is where I belong.”