Page 81 of Angel Of Darkness

“True.” Sam’s smile faded. “I know him well enough to say he’d do anything to keep his good little soldiers in line.” His stare, black now and so cold, flickered to Nicole. “Killing you wouldn’t give him a moment’s hesitation.”

Great. Nice to be so special—or rather, so insignificant. “Can we fight him?” Nicole wanted to know.

“You can’t. You’re just a vamp. You don’t have the power to take on someone like Az.”

Again with the making-her-feel-great talk.

“But you…” Sam nodded as he focused on Keenan. “If you got your powers back, there’d be no stopping you.”

“My powers are gone.”

“Really? Then how’d you throw fire the other night?”

“How did you know about that?”

Sam laughed. “There’s little in this world I don’t know about. Pay people enough, and they’ll tell you anything. A vamp—goes by the name Connor—came running to tell me about your visit to the blood room.”

Connor. He’d always been willing to trade almost anything—even a life—for money.

“Tell me, Fallen,” Sam continued silkily, “If your powers are gone, then how’d you make the room shake just a moment ago? And how...” Sam’s voice dropped, became taunting, “did you see your sweet vamp’s death, if your powers weren’t coming back?”

Her teeth were burning, her claws pushing out. Sam was a threat to her, and her body responded instinctively. He was playing some kind of game with them. Nicole felt like everything was a game, and she wanted it to stop.

Keenan’s gaze jumped to her. “You mean all the powers will be coming back?”

Sam laughed. “Bit of a bitch, isn’t it? You can save her, but the cost will be hell.”

“What are you talking about?” Nicole demanded, sick of being in the dark. “If we can stop this Az character, tell me how.”

“Fury’s the key.” Sam flashed his teeth in a grin that chilled. “You got to let the rage take you, and then you can take him.”

“Why don’t you just take him out?” Nicole snarled as she grabbed Sam’s arm and jerked him toward her.

An electric shot flew through her fingertips. Not pain, not yet. But...

“Interesting,” Sam mused as he looked down at her hand. “Very, very interesting.”

Keenan swore and pulled her away from Sam.

But Sam’s stare had locked on her now with an unnerving intensity. “Maybe you’re not so insignificant after all.”

Well, wasn’t that grand.

Sam’s tongue swiped over his bottom lip. “I’ll help you, for a price.”

“I thought you just said I could take him out—” Keenan began.

“I said you could, not that you would.” Sam rocked back on his heels. “There’s a difference, you know.”

“And just what’s your price?” Nicole asked him.

His eyes glinted. “For fighting an angel bent on vengeance? Because it is vengeance. Your name’s not on any list. Az just wants to take you out to prove that no one screws with his guard.”

“You’re sure?” Keenan’s fingers squeezed hers, the grip just shy of actual pain. “He said?—”

“He can twist the truth as well as any of our kind.” Sam crossed his arms over his chest. “Az isn’t the lily-white angel he wants to be. He’s been tempted, he’s broken the rules, and now, Az thinks he is the power when it comes to death.”

“You want to take him out.” Keenan spoke the words easily, but his body was tight against hers. “You’ve been fighting with him for a long time.”

---