Angel in Chains (The Fallen 3)

“Get us to him.”

The car was jumping and hurtling down the dirt road. “I will, but, f**k, man, don’t expect a miracle.”

Why not? Others had gotten them. Why couldn’t he?

“She could die any—”

“I won’t let her die.” Az was adamant. Her death wasn’t an option for him. “Just take us to the doctor. Get us there, and I’ll take care of Death.”

On his watch, no angel would get to her. And if an angel couldn’t claim Jade’s soul . . .

Then she couldn’t die.

Az held her tighter as the car whipped along the old, dirt road through the twisting trees. Jade’s eyes weren’t open. Blood soaked her chest, but her heart still beat. His hand was over her heart, so he felt those precious, struggling beats.

“Stay with me,” he whispered to her.

No one had ever come between him and death before. No one had ever sacrificed for him.

Until now.

The car screeched to a jarring stop moments later. Tanner flew from the front seat. The cop yanked open the back door and tried to take Jade. Az just held her tighter. If an angel came, he had to be close to her.

With her still in his arms, Az carefully climbed from the car. Her head sagged back against his shoulder. Dark shadows lined her closed eyes.

Tanner ran toward the shack that rested near the woods. His fist pounded onto the door. “Cody! Dammit, Cody, open the door!” But then he didn’t give Cody a chance to answer his summons. With not even a second’s hesitation, Tanner kicked the door open.

And he was immediately shoved back through the air. “What the hell are you thinking, Tanner?” a hard voice snarled. “You don’t bring your arrogant panther ass down here and ram in my door.”

Tanner shoved to his feet. “We need your help.” He pointed toward Az and Jade. “She’s hurt.”

Cody’s dark head turned and his eyes—dark eyes, demon eyes—locked on Jade. “She’s dead.”

Az thought about incinerating him. But, no, they needed the guy. For now. “Demon, are you a doctor?”

Cody stiffened. “I’m no demon.”

Az strode toward him. “Tell that to someone who can’t see you for what you really are.” He knew demon eyes when he stared into them. No magic glamour could fool him.

Cody’s hands lifted as if to ward him off. “Don’t bring a dead girl to my door. There’s nothing I can do for her.”

“She’s not dead.” But the doctor could be, very soon.

“Brandt attacked her.” Tanner ran a shaking hand through his hair. “Those were his claws that tore open her chest.”

“Fuck.” Cody rocked back on his heels. “Our psycho of a brother won’t ever stop, will he?”

“That’s Jade.” Intensity fueled Tanner’s voice.

Cody’s brows climbed and his arms dropped. “Brandt’s Jade?”

Hell, no. “My Jade.” Az stepped toe-to-toe with the demon. “And if you want to keep living, then you’ll make sure she does, too. You have to stitch her up. Close those wounds. Help her.” An order when it should probably have been a plea. But he’d never had to plea for anything before. Even when he’d been cast out of heaven, he hadn’t begged. He’d raged. Cursed. Fought.

Cody swallowed and nodded. “I-I’ll do what I can.”

Not good enough. “You’ll do everything.” He strode through the entrance and was surprised to see that the place was actually much bigger inside than he’d realized. It snaked back, dipping low and twisting around.

Cody hurried around him. “This way. I have a small clinic set up for—”

“For emergencies like these,” Tanner finished quietly.

The demon doctor shoved open another door. The room inside was small, but packed with medical equipment.

“Put her on the table.” He grabbed a pair of gloves. “We need to cut off that shirt so I can see what kind of damage we’re dealing with.”

Az lowered her onto the thin table. Her head rolled to the right. Carefully, he pulled away her shirt, ripping it when it stuck to the drying blood because he didn’t want to jar her. The slashes were deep into her chest. Thick, gaping. He ached when he saw them.

And he wanted to tear Brandt apart. Death will make you scream.

“Sadistic bastard.” Rage thickened Cody’s voice. “I thought she was supposed to be the one that he loved.”

Tanner shook his head. “You know he can’t really love anything. He can only destroy. He can—”

“He meant to kill me.” Az brushed back her hair. “She . . . got in his way.”

“You mean she took the attack for you.” Tanner was by his side. “Brandt has killed too many people that Jade loved. I wasn’t there back then, but I know the stories. She wasn’t just going to let you die, too.”

Az frowned down at her. “Jade doesn’t love me.” She needed him. She . . . wanted him.

But love?

The cop didn’t respond.

The one called Cody stared down at Jade’s savaged body. “I can close the wounds . . .” He licked his lips. “But I’ll tell you now, she’s lost too much blood to survive.”

Tanner’s head snapped up. Az saw the shifter’s nostril’s flare. “Flowers,” Tanner mumbled. “That scent, I smelled it before . . .”

Found us. Az spun away from the table. “Close her wounds and get her ready for a transfusion—”

“I don’t have any blood here.” Cody cut through his words instantly. “I can’t—”

“Get her ready!” He yelled back at him. Az followed that floral scent out of the house. If he hadn’t been so intent on Jade, if the smell of her blood hadn’t filled his nostrils, then he would have already known.

Death stalked them.

Time for him to send Death running.

He shoved through the broken door and stood on the slanting porch with his legs braced apart and his arms loose at his sides. “Marna, I told you what would happen if I saw you again!”

An angel appeared in front of him. The angel’s long, black wings stretched toward the sky. But this wasn’t the delicate Marna. This . . . This was Bastion, an ancient Death Angel. An angel who’d been second only to Az.

“Where is she?” Bastion demanded as his wings lowered. His eyes, golden as the streets of heaven, penned Az.