Hell.
Her mouth opened wider.
Then she heard the snarl and roar of engines. Motorcycle engines. Not too near. Not outside their little haven, not just yet.
But coming closer.
She held the kiss for a moment longer. Why hadn’t he just stayed away? I gave him a chance.
Vengeance.
Keenan lifted his mouth. “Nicole,” he breathed her name.
“Mike is coming for me.” She hadn’t wanted to kill.
“You knew he would.”
She just hadn’t expected him to find her so quickly. But a hunter like Mike would have connections and probably eyes everywhere. “He’s coming while I’m weak.” She pressed her forehead against Keenan’s shoulder. His arms were around her and even though death was coming, she felt safe right there with him.
“He won’t touch you.”
Because she had, what, eight days left? Seven? Less? Az hadn’t actually said she had ten...less than ten. Angels might not lie, but she had the feeling they might not always tell the full truth, either. Angel semantics.
“I killed his brother.” Because Grim had thought Jeff was too much of a threat. The hunter had already taken out a dozen vamps. She’d been the bait to take down the big gun. “If I were Mike, I’d come after me, too.” But she didn’t want to kill Mike. Stop him from killing her, yes, but kill him?
I already have enough blood on my hands. Killing him won’t get me any forgiveness.
Like there was a chance of that happening.
Mike wasn’t coming alone. She heard the growls from the other bikes.
“They can’t beat us both,” Keenan spoke with certainty.
No. The humans would lose. They’d die. Because even though she was weak, Keenan wasn’t.
But it wasn’t his fight.
“They’re not hurting you,” he told her and edged away.
She bent and grabbed her shirt, yanking it on as he pulled up a pair of jeans. “I wanted him to walk away.”
Keenan laughed. “And you really think you’re so different from the woman you were before the bite?” His blond head shook. “Sweet, a cold-blooded killer wouldn’t care, human or not.” He turned away. “I’ll take care of them.”
“What? No, you’re an angel, your job is?—”
“Death.” He yanked open the door. “The last time I hesitated, an innocent woman became a vampire.” He glanced back at her. “I won’t make the same mistake.”
Then he was gone—racing out to face the vampire hunters who didn’t want his blood.
They want mine.
She ran after him because Nicole had learned—the hard way—how to fight her own battles. If she had to do it, she’d kill Mike because he wasn’t sending her to hell.
Though it looked like she’d have to send him there.
Chapter Thirteen
“Still got your guard dog?” Mike shouted the minute he saw Nicole step onto the wooden porch.