Page 146 of Angel Of Darkness

“Police!” A hard voice barked. “Turn around and put your hands up!”

Dammit. Could they not get a break?

They turned, slowly, and Nicole was all too aware of the carnage around them.

Her gaze met the cop’s. The first responder on the scene, and, oh, no. His face was familiar to her.

Greg Hatten. The cop who’d come to rescue her six months ago. The cop who now bore deep scars on his throat.

His eyes widened and she knew he recognized her, too. Some nights, you just had bad luck.

He fired the gun without another word. The bullet plowed into her chest. Right into her heart.

“I know what you are!” he screamed. “You won’t hurt me again, vampire!”

Her chest was smoking. Why was her chest smoking?

“Holy water,” Keenan yelled. “Sam, take care of the cops!” Keenan lifted her into his arms, held her tightly, and ran as more bullets blasted around them. One bullet hit her leg and burned like a bitch. Other bullets flew right for Keenan but he never slowed.

Over the gunfire, she heard the sounds of screams. “Don’t…kill...” It was so hard to speak, but she had to try since they were cops. Scared cops who thought they were fighting monsters. Because they were.

Her chest hurt. A stake and now a holy water bullet—too much. Nicole’s eyes sagged closed. She wasn’t real sure she’d make it through much more.

The sun hit her when they broke clear of the buildings. Bright, strong rays of sunlight poured on her. The weakness instantly weighed down her limbs, but she held on to Keenan.

She wasn’t letting him go.

She ignored the fire that burned through her heart. “I love you.” She wanted him to know that, always.

His head jerked, and he gazed down at her with wild eyes.

She tried to smile.

His hold tightened. “You’re not dying.”

She didn’t want to die. He might have fallen for her, but she was living for him.

“We have to get the bullet out!” He rounded another corner and put her down on the ground. Keenan tore open her shirt and stared at her chest. She didn’t want to look at the wound so she just watched him.

His eyes widened, and then all emotion vanished from his face. Still trying to protect me.

“I know,” she whispered. The stake might have missed, but that cop had great aim.

Keenan shook his head.

“Just get it out,” she told him. “Get it out...before it kills me.”

But she knew, even as she said the words, just how dangerous such an act would be. The knowledge was there in Keenan’s eyes, too. In the daylight, she wouldn’t heal. And if he dug into her heart and the bleeding couldn’t be stopped, then she could die while he tried to save her.

Dying by Keenan’s hand would be just what Az had wanted.

Keenan shook his head.

She grabbed his hand. “I trust you.” Nicole wet her lips. “And I love you,” she said again.

His fingers were trembling.

“If you love me, save me.” She knew she was asking a lot, but there was no choice. I’m dying. “Save me.”

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