Page 115 of Angel Of Darkness

Keenan rushed for the door. “Get out of my way.” Because if he had to, he’d pound his way through the angel. He’d do anything to get to Nicole.

“She’s made you like this,” Az told him. But the shadows lightened as he pulled back. “She’ll destroy you.”

“No,” Sam spoke with certainty behind him. “She’s just making him stronger and that scares you, Az.”

The shadows vanished.

They screamed when Nicole kicked open the crypt door. A guy and his girlfriend, both dressed in goth black, whirled around and their cries filled her ears. They’d been leaning down, lighting candles near another crypt. Leaving offerings.

Didn’t they realize the voodoo queen wasn’t even there anymore? Tourists.

But at least Carlos hadn’t been waiting for her. She’d take the tourists over him any day of the week.

“Look at her teeth! Oh, Sean, look at her!”

Okay, the girl didn’t sound scared. More like excited.

“Bite me,” Sean whispered. “Please.”

Well, if he was gonna be offering. She lunged forward and sank her teeth into his throat. His blood spilled over her tongue and strength started to push back into her body.

“Sean?” A thread of fear entered the girl’s voice, muting the excitement. “Sean, she’s...really drinking your blood.” Then the girl let out a shriek. Her footsteps thudded as she ran away.

Nicole took more blood from her donor. Not too much. Just enough to survive. When she let him go, her savior slipped to the ground. Not dead, but unconscious.

She pushed her hands against the nearest crypt. The bones popped and snapped back into place as she reset them. Not perfect, not yet, but she’d make it through the night.

“I can’t leave you alone for a minute, can I, querida?”

Nicole stiffened. Carlos. “No, I guess you can’t.” She licked the last of the blood away and turned toward him. “You should have used that stake when you had the chance.”

He stood between two stone vaults. His claws scraped over them with a hair-raising screech of sound. “I’ll take the chance now. Your angel can just mourn over your broken body.”

No, he wouldn’t.

“The bait’s already set. I wager one of the bikers broke by now and told him where you were.” He pulled out the stake. “Let’s see how fast you can die.”

He leapt at her.

But Nicole was ready for him. She jumped back and the stake missed her. She kicked out and caught his wrist with her foot. This time, the bone that snapped was his. When the stake flew from his hand, she scrambled after it, diving to her knees. Her fingers curled around the wood just as Carlos grabbed her legs and yanked her back.

“I’ll cut off your fucking head!”

She had the stake. She twisted and came up ready. Nicole drove the stake right into his chest. “And I’ll take your heart.” Her whisper.

Another kill. Another death.

What was one more stain on her black soul?

He stared at her, mouth open, eyes gaping, then he sagged back. Carlos slipped onto the ground and blood began to pool beneath him.

Killing again hadn’t been nearly as hard as she’d hoped.

Connor had been right about her. Perhaps she did have a talent for murder. Damn him.

She closed her eyes.

“Nicole!” A roar that was her name.

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