Angel in Chains (The Fallen 3)

“Give us the weapons,” Jade said, “and then we’ll get out of here.”

“You don’t need to leave.” Tanner frowned at her. “This place is safe. You can stay here until our meeting at dawn.”

Jade didn’t want to stay there, but Az was nodding. What? Since when was he game-on for trusting these two?

“There’s a room you can use upstairs,” Heather said with an airy wave of her hand. “Get some rest, and we’ll make sure that you stay safe.”

She’d make sure, huh? “Why doesn’t that reassure me?” Jade muttered.

“Because you expect everyone to betray you.” Heather’s instant answer. “Most of the time, you’re right. This time, you’re wrong.”

Doubtful. “You already betrayed Az.”

“To save others.”

So she said. Because he was the evil angel.

“This is personal.” The witch’s voice had softened. “Brandt took away something very precious to me.” Her hands fisted. “Now I want to take everything away from him.”

Join the club. “I’m not here to trade sob stories with you, lady.”

Heather stiffened.

“I want weapons.” That had been the deal. Az might be able to kill with a touch—still scary—but she didn’t have that super skill, and regular bullets just weren’t going to cut it for her.

“Of course.” Heather strolled toward a heavy, wooden cabinet. She swung open the doors.

Wow.

Dozens of weapons gleamed back at Jade. Knives. Guns. Bullets. Even what looked like an old broadsword.

“Will you feel better if you’re armed with silver?” Heather’s voice held only mild curiosity.

“Yeah, I will.” Lots better.

“But we’d feel even better,” Az said, finally speaking, “if we have more of these.” Then Az pulled out a bullet from his pocket. Because of its color, she recognized it instantly. It was the same bullet that Jade had dug out of his back.

She hadn’t even realized he’d retrieved it from the nightstand back at the cabin. Tricky angel.

The witch glanced at the bullet, and Jade saw the slight widening of her eyes. Such a faint movement, and Heather recovered quickly.

The witch reached for the bullet. She lifted it toward the light. Tested its weight. “This isn’t like any bullet I’ve seen before.” She brought it close to her nose and inhaled. “Brimstone.”

Now Jade was the one to stare in surprise. “As in hell and brimstone?”

A nod. Heather’s fingers curled around the bullet. “Let me keep it. I’ll see what I can find and—”

In an instant, Az had the bullet back in his own hand. Sometimes, Jade loved that super speed of his.

“Or not,” Heather finished softly. She smiled. “I’d imagine a bullet like that would be very handy. It could probably take down just about anything.”

Even an angel? If the bullet had hit Az in the heart, would it have killed him?

Enough of this. Jade pushed by the witch and reached for the silver bullets that were calling to her. She loaded them into her gun. Then decided to grab an extra weapon, just in case.

A girl could never be too careful.

“Now go rest,” Tanner said. “Take the room at the top of the stairs. We’ll set up the meeting.”

Her gaze met Az’s.

Trust.

Hell, no, she didn’t have it to give. But Jade nodded and followed Az from the room.

Someone would be dying come dawn. That someone just wouldn’t be her.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Az shoved the old wooden door closed, then twisted the lock. The thing was so flimsy that he doubted it would keep anyone out. But then, if anyone came in, he’d be ready for them.

“We can’t trust those two.” Jade paced back and forth near the lone window in the room. “After what she did to you—no way can we trust them.”

He’d barely managed to chain back his rage as he talked to the witch. “We can use them.” That was the plan. No trust. He didn’t trust anyone.

Except—

“They’re using us. That witch will get a big payout when she turns us over to Brandt.” She rubbed her arms. “But I guess when you’re stuck between hell and a hard place, you don’t really get to choose your allies, do you?”

No.

She dropped her hands. Stared at him. “You can take Brandt out.” Not a question. “I’ve seen what you can do with my own eyes. I know how strong you are.”

He stalked toward her. Slowly. She didn’t back away, not even when he lifted his hand and cupped her cheek. “I can kill him as easily as I can kiss you.”

Her breath whispered out. “An angel assassin. Az, you’re the last thing I expected to find in that dirty alley.”

And she was the last thing he’d ever expected.

Her fingers rose and curled around his hand. “Kiss me.”

His heart beat faster.

“This is the end right?” Her words tumbled out. “In a few hours, we have our big standoff. We use our secret weapon—you—and take out the bad guy.”

That was the plan. It wasn’t about trusting the cop and the witch. It was about using them in order to get an up-close audience with the panther shifter he’d be sending to hell.

“I’m protected,” Jade told him. “There’s no risk of pregnancy or—or, um—” She broke off, flushing a bit.

Az lifted a brow. “I have no diseases or illnesses. Angels can’t get them.”

Her breath sighed out. “Good to . . . know.” Yes, it was.

“Kiss me,” Jade told him again. “I don’t want to spend the next few hours worrying and being afraid of what will come with dawn.”

He wanted her mouth. More, he wanted her.

Jade brought her body closer to his. “I’m your temptation, right?”

He hadn’t meant—

“Then let me tempt you.” She was. “After dawn, after we face what’s coming, we’ll go our separate ways.”

Redemption.

“But let’s be together now.” She stood on her toes and her lips brushed over the line of his jaw. “I need this. I need to be with you.”

She knew the power he held, but Jade wasn’t afraid. He didn’t think she’d ever been afraid of him. Not his touch. Not the fire he controlled.

Should she fear the lust he felt for her? Because it could rage out of control.