Angel in Chains (The Fallen 3)

She’d first come to him, young and scared, because of that initial death vision. She’d wanted to find someone to keep her safe from the angel who would be her doom.

She’d turned to the wrong man.

She’d gone back to look in her mirrors, over and over, but her death vision had never changed.

An angel would slay her. An angel who walked the earth without wings. An angel who only knew death.

Cocking his head to the side, Brandt asked, “Has your future changed?”

A ragged breath, then, “Some things can’t . . . be changed.”

“No, they can’t be.” Some people couldn’t change. But he was surprised because . . . “If Azrael is the one who is supposed to kill you, then why is he still breathing? Why didn’t you send him to hell on your own?”

“Because you can’t kill Death.”

Maybe the witch had finally gone crazy. Too much darkness could do that to a weak spirit. Brandt shrugged. “He bled easily enough for me.”

She glanced away. Ah . . . hiding something. No matter. He’d get to that truth soon enough. Right now, he wanted to know . . . “Why is he with Jade?”

“Because he’s f**king her.”

Inside, the panther snarled, even as the man shoved his claws into the nearest wall. A wall mere inches from Heather’s head.

“I made sure of it,” she whispered and she stared right into his eyes as she confessed, “I even . . . helped them along.”

With a yank, his claws came free and chunks of drywall littered the bed. “Your damn spells.”

Her smile had once been beautiful. Now it was just cold. “I simply gave Jade the courage to take what she wanted.” She tried to shrug, but the motion stopped when she winced in pain. “It would have happened . . . eventually. I saw the way she looked at him. The way . . . he looked at her.”

Heather wasn’t a stupid woman. Things would have been easier if she had been. “You know that he dies now.” But that was what she wanted.

“I know he’s starting to want her just as desperately as you do.”

His back teeth ground together. “You want me to kill him.” To make sure that her vision never came true. If this Azrael really was the angel from her vision, the one that she’d feared for so long . . .

“I wasn’t certain that . . . you could,” she said. “But . . . perhaps . . .”

“You’re sure he’s an angel?” Brandt asked because in this world, he knew beings were not always as they seemed. There could be no surprises when they faced off again. Only death.

“I’m sure he’d never known temptation, not until Jade crossed his path. He’d never known sin, not until her.”

That was a load of shit. He’d stared into Azrael’s eyes. That was a man well acquainted with sin.

After all, Brandt knew that look too well—it was the same look that his own gaze possessed.

“He won’t let you have her.” Heather’s breath panted out as blood seeped through her stitches. Perhaps he should have done more than just close the skin. Maybe he should have worked on the internal wounds? Oh, well. Too late now. “He’s . . . guard . . .”

A guardian? From what he’d heard, those angels weren’t big threats.

But perhaps a guardian who’d fallen would be more of a challenge. “If he bleeds, then he can die.” His claws had sliced right through Azrael’s skin easily enough. “Just tell me where he is, and I’ll kill him.” One fast scry and she’d have the guy’s location.

But Heather shook her head. “Too . . . weak.”

Sighing, Brandt climbed to his feet. “Right. You should rest. Get your strength back.”

She nodded.

He turned away. Paced to the nearby table and let his fingers curl around the dark mirror he’d sent a packmate to retrieve.

In an instant, he sprang back to the bed. His claws ripped open her arm and Heather’s blood flew onto the glass.

She screamed.

“Heather, do I look like I give a shit how weak you feel?”

Now the witch whimpered. Yes, she should have known better. “My ass**le brother is out there with this angel. Jade betrayed me. Tanner betrayed me again. I want all of them, and I want them now.” He caught the back of her neck. “Before you go to hell, stare into the darkness and f**king find out where that angel is hiding.”

She stared into the darkness. As her eyes began to haze over, he knew the darkness stared back. He shoved her face toward the mirror.

I’m coming, Jade. And I’m going to kill everyone close to you.

It was an old and familiar promise. One she knew too well.

One he’d fulfill, once again.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

“Why didn’t you tell me about him?” Az’s hand stroked over the curve of Jade’s back. She sat on the edge of the small bed, and, at his question, she glanced over her shoulder at him.

Her cheeks were still flushed, her lips red and plump from his mouth.

She was so beautiful to him. Even now, he ached for her, but . . .

But she set me up.

With an effort, Az kept his voice calm as he asked, “Was there a reason you didn’t tell me the truth about Brandt?” Did you want him to kill me?

She blinked those f**k-me eyes of hers. “I . . . told you. He’s a psychotic shifter. Super strong, super crazy, and—”

“And he’s got a whole lot of angel blood flowing through him.” Now the rage did break past the ice in his words. “Didn’t you think it was important that I knew that little fact? The death touch won’t work on someone like me.” One of the little safety clauses that the big boss had put in place. Angels weren’t supposed to kill each other.

But Jade was shaking her head. “He’s no angel. You saw his claws—hell, I’ve seen him shift! He’s a panther. He’s not like you.”

Az just stared at her as his mind whirled. He’d broken so many rules for her. He’d thought she could offer him redemption, but the chance to get his life back had never been farther from him.

Now they didn’t just have to deal with her bastard of an ex, they also had to deal with Death Angels who’d be on their trail.

“Every Other can recognize their own kind,” he said. It was a rule of nature. Shifters could catch the scents that would identify others of their ilk. Witches could feel the magical pull from those with powers like their own, and as for Death Angels . . . “My touch would have killed a normal shifter.” He lifted his fingers off her skin. The possibilities ran through his mind, then the strongest one clicked in his head. “My guess is the guy’s a hybrid.”