Avenging Angel (The Fallen 4)

Her eyes were still pitch black. Every part of ’em. Sclera. Lens. A demon’s true eyes were always black—some said to match their souls.

Though Tanner didn’t believe that bullshit. His brother, Cody, was half-demon, and the guy wasn’t evil. Not even close.

Cody had been the only one to escape that particular family curse.

“Do I look like a freaking idiot to you, shifter?” the captain snapped.

He almost smiled. Would have, if he hadn’t been knee-deep in paranormal hell. “No, ma’am, you don’t.”

“Then let’s start shooting straight with each other, because if we don’t, there’s a roomful of cops out there I can toss your ass back to. Wanna see how fast they lock you up and throw away the key?”

Like any cage could hold him.

“Lady, don’t make me shoot you,” Jonathan told her, then paused and said, “again.”

Her eyes narrowed. Jerk.

“I watched the surveillance video from the patrol car. The techs on scene played it back, and I saw you. You were with Tanner when that cop questioned him.”

She’d worried that the officer might have seen her, but she’d never even thought about a camera in the squad car.

“I don’t have time for this crap.” The cop glanced over his shoulder, then back toward the door. Marna still had her eye pressed to the peephole. “I’m giving you to three, then I’m going to start firing. Once folks realize who you are, do you really think they’ll care that I emptied a few bullets into a killer?”

Wasn’t he a charmer?

“One.”

Marna whirled away from the door. If she let him in, wouldn’t he just shoot her then? Probably, so letting him in didn’t exactly make sense to her. The fire escape was right outside the balcony. She could get out that way.

“Two!” he shouted..

She shoved open the balcony doors. Hurried outside.

“Three!” He fired.

Fired?

So much for waiting.

Marna glanced back and saw him kick in the door. His bullet had taken out the lock, making it easier for him to bust inside. His gaze met hers. He had his gun up.

“It doesn’t have to be this way,” he called out to her. The faint lines on his face had tightened. “It doesn’t.”

There was no other way for it to be.

Marna grabbed for the fire escape.

And the thunder of another bullet chased after her.

“Some demons are so strong when it comes to glamour magic”—the captain sat on the edge of her desk and lifted one brow-—“that they can change every aspect of their bodies. When humans look at them, the fools see only what the demon wants them to see.”

Yeah, he knew this bit. So Tanner finished, “And in this case, some demon wanted that kid to see me?”

She nodded. “Looks like you’ve got yourself one powerful demon for an enemy.” Her head cocked to the right. “Know someone like that? Someone strong enough with glamour magic that he could copy your face and body? That he could be your twin?”

Tanner made sure to keep his expression blank. “No. I don’t know many demons.” He offered her a tight smile. “Demons and shifters aren’t exactly close.”

“Really?” One dark brow rose. Her nails tapped on her desk. “That’s odd, especially since the gossip I heard said that your own brother was a demon.”

Someone had been talking too much.

“A demon gifted with a high level of glamour power.” She gave a low whistle. “Now, that same gossip also told me that you had two brothers.”

“Brandt is dead.” She would know about him. In the paranormal world, everyone had known about his panther-shifter brother. Hard to ignore a sadistic alpha bent on raising hell.

And slaughtering everyone in his path.

“So the stories go.” Captain Pope rolled her shoulders. “But the stories also say that your family has a history of being some twisted f**ks.”

True. So much for sugar coating. Tanner rose. “You shouldn’t listen to so many stories.” Time to leave. Either she could throw his ass in jail or—

“And maybe you’re trusting the wrong person. Maybe fate didn’t just screw you with one sadistic killer of a brother. Maybe you’ve got two who want you dead.”

Tanner kept walking. “You’re wrong. I know Cody.” He’d protected his brother over the years. Taken punishments meant for his younger brother, over and over.

So much pain.

Cody wouldn’t turn on him.

And he sure wouldn’t turn on the only family he had left.

“We never know people nearly as well as we think.” Now a note of sadness had entered her voice. “We usually find out the truth far too late.”

He already knew the truth about Cody.

“We could clear this up quickly enough,” the captain offered. “Let me talk to Cody. Let me find out just what he’s capable of.”

Not a good idea. “My brother isn’t in the city.” He’d gone back to his place in the swamp. The guy craved his solitude. Being in the city just drove him crazy.

“So where is he?”

He could hear the rumble of voices on the other side of the door. “He’s got a makeshift clinic in the swamp. He helps out there.” Did she catch his not-so-subtle emphasis on help? Because Cody wasn’t a killer. He was a doctor. Tanner exhaled. Time to make a move. “What happens now?” If he walked out of that door, was he gonna have to beat off the uniforms who came gunning for him? He’d just like to know, so he could be ready for the fight.

“Three responders on scene saw that video.”

Tanner glanced back over his shoulder.

“Me,” she said with a shrug and lifted her hand. “Your partner, and a loud-mouthed uniform named Lawson. I think you know him.”

Yeah, he knew the dick.

“Now we just have to convince those two that the footage was fake.”

“And you think that’s gonna be easy?” Lawson had already picked out his cell.

“Easier than letting ’em know that demons are running wild on the streets, yeah.” Her eyes flashed black again. “Because some demons aren’t ready for the truth to be spilled to humans.”

He was guessing that she was one of those demons. Tanner cleared his throat. “Jonathan already knows about the supernaturals.”

Her gaze seemed to chill. “Is that why he was so eager to run off with his gun?”