Page 33 of Angel Of Darkness

His gaze trekked over her body. His stare lingered on the pebbled nipples that thrust against her borrowed shirt. Slowly, slowly, his gaze dropped down to the jeans that were unsnapped and unzipped, revealing the pale skin of her abdomen, the dark black of her panties.

More.

The car’s engine idled closer. A siren blared on. A slow, droning wail.

“A cop.” Her husky voice was like a stroke right over his flesh. “If he sees the truck, he’ll think we’re hurt. He’s not going to leave without checking the scene.”

No, he wouldn’t. “This isn’t over.” His thumb brushed over her lips. Her eyes widened and then her tongue snaked out, licking him.

His heart shoved into his ribs. “Nicole, don’t run from me again.”

The cop was getting closer. Keenan could hear the tread and roll of the tires.

Her head moved in the slightest of nods. “After we get rid of him, you tell me everything, okay? Because if you’re not a demon, then what are you?”

He would tell her this much. “Once upon a time,” he rose, stretching to his feet and pulling her up with him. “I was an angel.”

Her lips parted in surprise, but then she immediately shook her head. “What? Come on, no way. Angels aren’t real.”

Now that was just insulting. “Vampires can be real. Demons can live. Werewolves can howl.” He raised a brow. “Why can’t angels exist?”

A car door slammed. Footsteps thudded toward them. “Oh, shit,” a rumbling male voice exclaimed. “Hello! Hello? It’s all right, I can help you!”

Keenan glanced back toward the wrecked truck. In the dark, a human wouldn’t be able to see them. The beam of headlights from the patrol car illuminated the truck’s wreckage. He turned toward the cop.

Nicole grabbed his hand. “You’re saying that you’re a guardian...angel?”

Not quite.

“There’s something you should know,” he said, but didn’t look at her. Her hand felt cool against his overheated flesh.

“Wh-what?”

“Sometimes, angels really do fall.” She deserved the warning.

Nicole sucked in a sharp breath.

“And when we do, we bring hell on earth in our wake.”

She backed up a step. “So are you the good guy?—”

His laughter cut through her words. “Not even close.” But he leaned in toward her and pulled up her zipper, then snapped her jeans. His fingers lingered too long. He couldn’t help that. “But I’m not here to hurt you. Those bastards who come after you, yeah, I’ll hurt them, but not you.”

“Because I’m your key?”

He’d told her that in a weak moment. The truth should have stayed hidden. Too late now. He gave a grim nod.

The cop was swearing and yelling. Keenan and Nicole would have to talk more later. He headed for the truck.

“If it’s all true...”

Her voice followed him. She didn’t.

“If it’s true,” she said again, and, so, what, a vampire doubted an angel’s word? The world really was screwed. “Then, Keenan, what made you fall?”

He froze.

“Angels don’t just fall. It had to be something big, right? Something very, very bad.”

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