Angel in Chains (The Fallen 3)

“Why?” Mateo seemed honestly confused. “This is all about her.”

And it was. Her battle. Her fight. Her life. So why should Az be the one to sacrifice?

“But if you’re truly willing to offer up all that you have,” Mateo murmured to Az, “then I might be willing to—”

“No!” The denial burst from her. Shit, shit, shit . . . “This isn’t gonna be you wanting my firstborn, is it? Because that’s not happening.”

Mateo’s gaze dipped to her stomach. That ghost of a grin curved his lips once more. “I do wonder what the child will be like.”

In a flash, Az had the knife at Mateo’s throat. “Cut the game, Mateo.” A trickle of blood slid down the witch’s throat. “Help us or—”

“Or you slice me open? Why use a blade when you can kill me with your hand?”

“Because I don’t want you dead. I just want you to bleed.” He tossed the knife and shoved Mateo’s head over that swirling mirror. Drops of blood fell on the glass. “Tell me what you see!”

Clouds formed in the glass. Moving faster. Faster. But Mateo just laughed. “I see you dying at Brandt’s hands. His claws tear you apart.” He turned his head and met Az’s stare. “Because you don’t have any f**king brimstone bullets.”

That wasn’t happening. “I’ll do it,” Jade said immediately.

Az spun around. “No, Jade—”

“Too late.” A faint charge lit the air. A burst of sparks. “There’s no going back now.”

Her heart thundered in her chest. “Just give us the bullets.”

“The deal’s made,” Mateo said with satisfaction.

“Then unmake it,” came Az’s furious order, “or I’ll make sure you’re never around to collect on the debt.”

“But you’re going to try that anyway,” Mateo said. “You’re going to try and destroy everyone.”

No, he was wrong. Az wouldn’t do that.

“I’ve seen the future, Azrael. I know why that witch gave you up to the hunters months ago. I know why the world should fear you.” The faint lines around Mateo’s eyes deepened even as his tattoos continued to subtly shift. “You were the ruler of the Death Angels, and you’re going to bring hell to earth.”

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

“No, he’s not.” Jade’s voice was confident and held no fear. “I don’t know what you think you saw, buddy, but you’re wrong. Az has done nothing but help me from the moment we met.”

“He’s tried to help himself.” At Mateo’s flat words, Az locked his back teeth. “Stepping into that alley that first night had nothing to do with you and everything to do with Az’s need for violence.”

Jade shook her head. “You’re wrong. He saved me—”

“Az likes violence.” A pause. “Sex and violence, haven’t you noticed? Or maybe he just likes the sex more with you.”

“Az has never hurt me!”

The witch was about to push too far. “Create the bullets,” Az ordered. Jade had made a mistake in offering a debt to the guy, but Az could take care of that for her. He’d make sure she didn’t have to sacrifice anything.

Mateo liked sacrifices too much.

“Once he realized you were human, Az knew he could use you.” Mateo’s voice was mild. The guy needed to shut up.

Az lunged forward and grabbed Mateo’s arm. “The bullets.”

Mateo smirked at him. “I’m not afraid of you.”

He should be.

“Az isn’t using me!” Jade was still defending him. Why did that make him feel so . . . guilty?

“Sí, he is. Ask him.”

Az shoved the witch away from him. He couldn’t kill Mateo, at least, not until he’d gotten the bullets.

A grim smile lifted Mateo’s mouth as he studied Az. “After all,” he said, “we all know angels can’t lie.”

“I don’t need to ask him!” Jade’s green eyes flashed fury as her dark hair tumbled wildly over her shoulders. “What could he possibly be using me for? I’m the one who needs him! He’s saving my ass and—”

“And he thought you were his ticket back to heaven.”

The witch really did see too much.

“Helping a human, helping one of the favored . . .” Mateo stroked his throat. “That was supposed to fast-pass you back upstairs, right, Azrael?”

“You seem to have all the answers,” Az snarled at him. “So why even ask?”

“Because she needs to see you for what you are.” Mateo’s face twisted with anger. “She’s blinded by you. She doesn’t get that you are—”

“Enough talk.” Jade’s voice cut right through his raging words. Az glanced at her, and did a double take. Jade had snatched up the knife from Mateo’s table, and she’d just shoved the tip against the witch’s side. “We made the deal, now just do your part.”

Mateo’s mouth slackened in shock.

“It’s a magic knife, right?” She muttered. “Hell, isn’t everything magic these days? And I’m thinking if it can cut you, maybe it can even kill you, even if you are some super-powered caller.” She pushed the blade’s tip a bit deeper into Mateo’s flesh. “At the very least, I can make you hurt.”

Mateo’s eyes narrowed. “You don’t care what he is.” Surprise slipped into his eyes, but vanished almost instantly.

“I want him,” she said, “just as he is.”

Az rubbed his chest, aware of an ache that rested beneath the skin.

The witch searched her eyes. Then, after a moment, he inclined his head. “Wait outside. I’ll give you what you need.”

“You’d better.” Very slowly, she lowered the knife. “And stop the trash talk about Az, understand? I get it, you’re not a fan, but back the hell off.”

She was protecting him. Az stepped closer to her. He brushed back a lock of her dark hair. Her head turned toward him. “I don’t care, Az. Whatever the reason you came to me, I don’t care.”

But . . . but there was a flash of pain in her eyes.

He’s using you.

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “Come on.” They’d wait downstairs. He’d explain things to her.

“I need your blood, Fallen.” Mateo’s words stopped him.