Page 13 of Angel Of Darkness

Romeo made it over the fence. Two others were right on his heels.

Keenan stepped toward the gun. “Yes. It is.”

“She would’ve killed you tonight.” The gun barrel shook in the man’s hands. “You’re lucky. We saved you!”

Keenan grabbed the gun in a move too fast for the human’s eyes to track. He slammed the butt of the weapon into the man’s head and heard the thud of impact even as the guy fell to the ground. And as he fell, Keenan turned fast and fired the gun—once, twice—and took down the men still in the back alley. He didn’t kill them. He just gave them something painful to remember him by. “Go after her again,” he promised, “and the bullets will be in your hearts.”

They didn’t answer because they were too busy groaning in pain and writhing on the ground. Keenan stared at them a moment longer as he memorized their faces. He always kept his promises.

He turned, holding the gun close, and jumped right over the fence. He followed the sound of the screams and the scent of the blood as he tracked his prey once more.

Nicole wasn’t getting away from him, and those bastards after her would learn that when an angel spoke—they damn well better listen.

Even if that angel had fallen.

Outrunning humans wasn’t normally hard. But when the humans in question had baited a trap and you’d walked right into it because you were so freaking thirsty—well, then things became considerably more difficult.

Nicole’s knees barely buckled as she cleared the fence, and, seconds later, she started streaking across the empty lot as she rushed for the darkness on the other side.

Then the growl reached her. A deep rumble of sound—a truck’s engine. The truck’s headlights flashed on, coming right out of that waiting darkness, and she realized just how good the trap truly was for her.

They’d known she’d come to the cantina. They’d known she’d be hungry. They’d known she’d take a man outside for her drink.

Then all they’d had to do was make certain her escape path was cut off.

The truck roared toward her, tossing up dust and dirt in its wake as it aimed right for her.

Nicole lunged to the left. A gunshot fired behind her, and she felt the close rush of the bullet as it whipped by her arm. Dammit, why couldn’t they let her go?

The truck swerved and followed right behind her. She was fast, but not faster than a truck. The bumper hit her, and she went down. Nicole slammed into the dirt, but she rolled quickly so those wheels didn’t plow over her.

Dirt and dust filled her lungs. Blood poured from gashes in her arms. And the thirst grew. I went too long between feedings. Shouldn’t have waited.

But she hated to drink blood. It reminded her too much of what she was. A monster.

And when she drank, the dark temptation to take and take welled within her.

A truck door squeaked open. “We hit her!” Different accent. She recognized Texas when she heard it.

The other door groaned open. “Keep your gun on her. It’ll take more than a smack from my Chevy to put down one like her.”

Yes, it would, but Nicole kept her eyes closed and kept her breathing light. The men eased closer. She could smell their sweat and their fear.

And excitement.

Other footsteps pounded in the distance—her would-be victim and his buddies must be coming in.

Then she heard the thunder of a gunshot. One blast. Two. But she didn’t flinch at the blasts. If they wanted to shoot at each other, fine with her. Infighting meant fewer enemies for her to fight off later.

The ground vibrated with the footsteps of her hunters. She waited, held steady, and?—

The first man nudged her with his boot. No, not a nudge. The jerk kicked her with his boot. She turned, moving fast in an instant, and caught his legs. Twisting hard, she broke his right leg, then his left. He was screaming before he hit the ground.

And she was up. Nicole slammed her fist into the other attacker’s face. Bones crunched. Blood spurted, and oh, she would have taken a drink. Fitting punishment for them running her down like a wild animal, but?—

But she needed to get the hell out of there.

More bullets were flying, but they weren’t even coming near her. Someone must have real crappy aim. She darted around the truck and ran for the shrouding darkness once more. There’d better not be another truck waiting there.

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