Page 64 of Angel Of Darkness

“If you don’t, someone else will.”

He knew it wasn’t an idle threat. “Who?” Keenan demanded. “Is it you? Are you the one coming after her?”

Az just stared back at him.

“I don’t want to die.” Nicole’s clear words had Keenan whirling to face her.

She stood in front of the truck, silhouetted against the headlights. Her gaze wasn’t on him, but on Az.

Could she see him?

Then Az moved, shifting slightly to the left. Nicole’s gaze didn’t follow him. Can’t see him.

“No one ever wants to die,” Az said.

Now her gaze tracked to the left—to the angel who wanted her death.

“That’s the problem,” Az continued. “But it doesn’t matter what you want, vampire. You will die within ten days. The only question is…by whose touch?”

Not mine. Keenan lunged for Az.

But with a flap of wings, the angel was gone. The headlights shone on the road, and the light stabbed into the empty darkness.

“Keenan?”

He whirled to face her once more, terrified that Az had tricked him and circled in for the kill. Can’t be so unguarded. Not ever again.

But she stood, alone, in front of the truck. Nicole appeared so small and vulnerable in that moment.

Then he caught a glimpse of fang.

Perhaps not so vulnerable.

He hurried to her side. Her eyes watched him—deep and dark and big.

“Are you going to kill me?” Nicole asked him the same way another woman might have asked if he were going to kiss her. Quiet, husky.

He caught her arms and pulled her closer.

“Are you?” she whispered.

He crushed his mouth to hers, and he kissed her hard and deep and he didn’t care that Az’s scent lingered in the air. Let the angel watch. Let him see where Keenan’s true loyalties were.

She wouldn’t die by his hands.

And any angel who came close would find out that his fury was ten times hotter than hell’s.

He hadn’t fallen to lose her. He’d fallen to fight for her.

Ten days.

No. She would not die.

He knew it was time to make a deal with the devil.

The voices were louder. The whispers in Elijah’s mind were seductive calls now, tempting him.

Stop them from seeing.

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