Angel in Chains (The Fallen 3)

Marna’s blue eyes widened with fear when she saw him. She was seated in a wooden chair, with her hands cuffed behind her. Tanner stood on one side of her while Cody paced near the back of the room.

The door slammed against the wall, jerking everyone’s attention toward him and Jade.

“Azrael.” Marna’s sharp voice.

“Why is she cuffed?” Jade demanded as she pushed forward. “She should be taking it easy, not—”

“Her wounds have healed,” Cody told her as he stepped toward her. Then he stopped and glanced over at Marna. “As much as they can heal.”

Marna laughed then. A bitter, tight laugh that Az had never expected to hear from the angel who cared too much. “He means the blood’s stopped—but my wings are long gone.”

Tears glittered in her eyes, shining like jagged diamonds.

“Uncuff her,” Jade snapped.

Tanner’s body stiffened. “I’m not real sure that’s a good plan, there, Jade.” His faint drawl had thickened. “One touch and—”

“She’s been hurt enough.” Jade strode closer to her. Az made sure he shadowed her moves. “Just let her go,” Jade said.

Marna’s gaze darted to him. The fear was still there. Fear and fury and . . .

Hope?

“There’s some kind of spell on the cuffs,” Marna said, her voice soft now, almost broken. “I can’t get out of them, no matter what I do.”

Jade’s attention jumped back to Tanner. “Get the key and get her out.”

But Tanner stood his ground. “You really that eager for her to kill you? The wings might be gone, but her powers aren’t. One touch, and you aren’t coming back.”

“The touch doesn’t work on me anymore. At least, Bastion said it didn’t.”

Marna’s eyes widened, and Az saw the hope die in her gaze.

He realized that she’d been planning to finish her mission. To kill Jade.

The hell she would.

Az strode forward. He crouched in front of Marna and made sure that their gazes held. “We found you in those woods. The two men behind you—”

“They aren’t men!” Her voice was stronger now, more caked with fury than fear. “One’s an animal, one’s a demon, and they’re both linked to the bastard who did this to me!”

“A bastard who’s got angel blood.” This came from the demon doc who Az knew must have spent hours trying to help Marna. “He’s like you, so before you start looking down that perfect nose of yours at us animals, remember that. Angels can go bad, too.”

She never looked away from Az. “I know that. I’ve seen bad angels with my own eyes.”

He refused to feel shame. “Bastion is looking for you.”

Her lashes lowered to conceal her gaze. “He can’t take me home.”

No, the rules didn’t work that way. You had to fly into heaven on your own steam.

“He can take care of you, though. He can help you.” Az exhaled. “So can I. You aren’t going to be alone down here.” He’d make sure of it.

A tear leaked from her eye. “He-he liked hurting me.” She took a deep breath. “He was . . . laughing while he cut me.”

Tanner backed away from her, fast. Az looked up and realized that the shifter’s claws had burst from his skin. Rage drew deep lines on his face, and Az knew that fury was directed right at Brandt.

“We’re going to stop him,” Jade told her. Her hand lifted, as if she’d touch Marna’s shoulder, but she hesitated. “He won’t hurt anyone else.”

Marna’s head rose as she focused on Jade. “If he’s really like us . . .” Her gaze swung to Az, “Then how can you kill him?”

The small bag tied to his waist felt too heavy, and so did the gun he’d tucked into the side of his belt. “Even angels can die. He’ll go down. Trust me.”

She swallowed and Az knew Marna was trying to hold on to her control. Without the magical protection of her wings, she’d be feeling the full brunt of human emotions. The angel probably felt as if she were breaking apart from the inside.

He’d felt that way. Still did.

Jade’s hand touched Marna’s shoulder. The scent of flowers flooded the room then. Az rose to his feet. He didn’t need to glance back to know that Bastion had joined them.

The tears trickled down Marna’s cheeks faster now. “Don’t . . . look at me.” Her stark whisper.

Az knew that she was ashamed for Bastion to see her this way.

In the next moment, Bastion couldn’t see her at all. Tanner had stepped in front of Marna, shielding her. “Who the f**k are you?” His gaze slanted to Az. “Don’t remember you saying that anyone else would be joining this little party.”

No, he hadn’t said that. “Bastion is here for Marna.”

Tanner glanced over his shoulder at the sobbing angel. “Maybe Marna doesn’t want to go with him.” His claws were still out, but Az noticed the shifter carefully kept them from Marna’s line of sight.

“I can’t go!” Marna bit out the words. “Bastion, it’s too late.”

In a flash, Bastion was standing toe-to-toe with Tanner. “You don’t want to come between us,” he told the shifter. His wings brushed the top of the room. He was letting all of them see him—just as he was.

But Tanner didn’t look particularly intimidated. “I know how this works,” Tanner said as he barred his sharp canines. “Unless my name turned up in that fancy book upstairs that used to belong to Azrael here, you can’t touch me.” He smiled. “Unless you’re looking to see those wings of yours burn right off. ’Cause killing someone not marked for death, that’s a falling offense, right?”

“It was for me,” Sam said from the doorway, his voice lazy but lethal.

Bastion stiffened. “Sammael.”

“Long time no see huh, Bastion?”

Jade’s gaze swept the room. “Well, isn’t this just the big old angelic reunion.” She shoved Tanner. Her elbow caught him off guard and made the shifter stagger. Or maybe he wasn’t caught off guard. Maybe that blood was still making her stronger than she should be. “Give me the keys to the cuffs.”

Tanner’s eyes narrowed on her. “Don’t have them.”

“I do.” Cody lifted a small, golden ring from his pocket. “But I want her promise first.” It wasn’t surprising that the demon would be the less trusting one. “No one dies by her touch tonight.”