Page 48 of Angel Of Darkness

That was what vampirism really was. A virus. One that—if it wasn’t monitored—could be passed along until the whole human race died out. Died out or transformed.

He rolled his shoulders and forced himself to meet her eyes. “He’s gone.”

“He?” Her brows rose. “Could you see him?” Nicole pressed.

No lies. “I saw enough.”

“Was he the one that was there that night?” Her delicate jaw locked. “Was he the bastard that just stood there while the vamp tried to kill me?”

“No.” One of the things about angels—fallen angels or those still in grace—they could never lie. He exhaled. “That bastard…well, that would have been me. I was the one there the night you were attacked by the vampire. The angel who watched? It was me.”

Chapter Seven

“What?” Her voice had gone flat and cold, just like her eyes. And her teeth were getting longer and sharper. When the fangs came out, trouble was calling.

But it was time to reveal this to her. After what he’d done tonight, she deserved to know. “I was the angel there that night. I was the one you sensed.”

“You?” Her knuckles whitened around the sheet. “You saw what he did?—”

His muscles locked at the memory. “I saw everything.”

“And you just stood there?” Disbelief. Disgust.

His spine straightened. He’d expected this.

“You stood there,” she repeated, “and let him hurt me? He clawed me, he bit me, hell, I even thought he was going to rape me!”

Keenan spun away from her. “He didn’t.” I didn’t let him. I broke the rules. Took him when I should have taken you.

“Wait. I get it now.”

Keenan glanced over his shoulder. “I doubt it.” Wrong thing to say.

She lunged forward. The sheet dropped. “You were my guardian. My guardian angel, right? So your job was to watch me.”

No. He’d never been a guardian angel, and he shouldn’t have watched her so much. Since he couldn’t lie, he just didn’t speak.

“I thought guardian angels were supposed to keep their charges safe.”

They were. Except when he was around. Then the guardians were given other charges. No one could stop death.

He ran a hand over his face. I did.

Hadn’t he? Or had that angel been in the room with them tonight for a different reason? To finish the job?

No.

Keenan grabbed his jeans. Jerked them on. Shoved into his shoes.

“What are you doing?” she demanded.

“I have to find someone.”

“No, you’re not leaving right now.” She stood in front of him. Naked. Furious. So sexy. The bed was just steps away. He’d been so close to the paradise of her body, but now he’d lost that chance.

Thanks, Az, you asshole. The human curses and insults were coming much easier to him now.

“You were there.” It was too easy to read the disgust on her face as she grabbed his arm. “Why didn’t you stop him? Why didn’t you help me?” Her claws bit into his skin, drawing blood.

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