Page 38 of Angel Betrayed

Rogziel wouldn’t be giving up on his prey so easily, and she’d seen Alex use his come-and-get-me routine before. He lured the prey in, then attacked with everything that he had.

But if Sam had chased after him, everything hadn’t been enough this time.

Or if it wasn’t Alex, then it could be Az. Her option two was a whole lot scarier than a human who thought he was tough.

Seline and Cole followed the snaking alley away from the cemetery and the crowd. The stench of garbage surrounded her as she jumped over things that she really didn’t want to think about too hard.

They turned another corner, and she stopped cold when she saw the scene before her.

Alex stood with his back pressed against a dirty brick wall. His hands were up, his eyes wide. Dark ash covered his face and clothes. He was breathing hard, the ragged sounds filling the air, and it sounded like he might be…begging?

Sam waited in front of him. No burning clothes. Perfect clothes again. Not so much as a hint of soot or ash on him. Mere inches separated Sam from Alex.

“Seline!” Alex saw her and screamed her name. “Call off your dog!”

Not her dog. Sam didn’t glance back at her.

“Stay away, Seline,” he ordered.

But Alex’s desperate eyes were on her. “He’s going to kill me!” he cried as spittle flew from his mouth.

“Only fair.” Sam’s voice held a taunting edge. “You tried to kill me today.”

Seline crept forward. Cole stood back, waiting.

“Here’s a tip,” Sam announced, and as Seline circled around the men, she caught the flash of his grin. “You’re not strong enough to kill me. Your weapons aren’t strong enough. All you manage to do is piss me off.” He lifted his hand. “Guess what happens when I get pissed?”

Alex pressed back even more against the bricks. It looked like he was trying to shrivel up.

“I make you hurt.” Sam moved in that too-fast blur he did so well.

Alex screamed and grabbed for his left hand. Uh, his hand was already facing the wrong direction. The bones had been broken in a blink of time.

She swallowed. “Sam?”

He didn’t look her way. “You should have stayed at the safe house.”

She tensed. Now he was going to talk about that?

“She’s in this!” More spittle flew from Alex’s mouth as he cradled his injured hand. “She’s fucking in this! Do your job, Seline—get this bastard! Drain him like you were supposed to!”

Seline didn’t move, not so much as an inch.

Did Sam’s shoulders stiffen? Hard to say. No change of expression crossed his face.

“Seline!” Alex bellowed.

She glanced back over her shoulder. Good thing those sirens were still wailing. Otherwise, they’d be having company. But the sirens were wailing, and she knew they were covering Alex’s cries. “I’m not working for Rogziel any longer.”

Alex laughed. “Is that the story you’re spinning?” He let his hands fall.

“Yes,” she said quietly, and took a deep breath. “Alex, where’s Az?”

His lips firmed into a thin line.

“Just tell me?—”

“How the hell should I know? You’re the one who let him go last night!”

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