Page 83 of Angel Betrayed

Not exactly a giant declaration of love.

“She doesn’t look like an angel,” Nicole muttered.

If she could have, Seline would have laughed. She knew exactly what she looked like. Sin. She’d been told that often enough over the years. Both by lovers who thought they were seducing her and by humans who thought she should be repenting.

“You said she was a succubus.” Now Keenan was talking again. “A succubus can’t control a hound.”

“She’s only half-succubus.” From Sam. His fingers trailed down her throat and rested over the pulse that beat at the base of her neck. “As for her other half, well, there’s no doubt about it.”

“She’s angel,” Keenan decided.

And there was the shame she’d tried so hard to hide. Seline was the mixed-blood daughter of an angel and the incubus who killed her. Abomination. Living sin.

“She’s crying.” The woman’s voice was soft now.

Seline realized a tear had leaked from her eye.

“I thought you put her under,” Keenan charged, and for the first time, she heard anger vibrate in his voice.

“I did.”

More creaking of floorboards. “She’s hearing everything we say.” Nicole was the one to state the obvious. “And she sure doesn’t like what she hears.”

“She’s fully aware.” Keenan’s voice had taken on a definite edge. “Hellhound callers don’t have to be able to speak to summon their beasts. They’re linked psychically. If she’s screaming for the beast in her mind…”

“Then it’ll be at the fucking door,” Sam growled. His hand slid under her hair, and he tilted up her head. “Seline.”

She felt a push of power, and it was like a curtain lifted from her body. Her eyes opened. She blinked away the teardrops that blurred her vision.

“Tell me you didn’t call the hellhound. Tell me.”

Her right hand curled into a fist. She licked her lips. She could move everything again. So she moved that fist and swung for him.

But he caught her hand before it could hit him. “I gave you one free hit. No more, sweetheart.” He dropped her hand.

Bastard.

Seline leapt from the bed she’d been lying on. She lunged for the door.

Only to find it blocked by a woman with pale skin and black hair. “Not so fast,” Nicole told her, and Seline caught the flash of her fangs.

Vampire.

No wonder the woman had been so quick on the whole kill urge. Vamps were made that way.

Seline squared her shoulders and sucked in a deep breath as she prepared to punch and claw her way past the undead lady. But, before she could attack, Sam grabbed her left hand. Pain stole Seline’s breath as the agony throbbed down from her shoulder. Jeez, what had happened to her shoulder?

Sam forced her to face him. “The hound is coming.”

She glared at him, feeling so angry that she expected her skin to start burning. “I trusted you.” She’d been so foolish. “I fought for you!” He’d wanted to kill her.

Silence in the room.

“You’re an asshole, Sam.” An asshole who’d—dammit!— broken her heart. She’d actually thought he was different. A man strong enough to stand beside her, no matter what came.

No one else had even come close to hurting her like this. It seemed as if she were splintering apart on the inside. “I didn’t turn on you! I didn’t set you up. I helped you!”

The others—the female vamp and the deadly-looking male with the shadow of black wings on his back—weren’t moving.

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