Angel Betrayed (The Fallen #2)(14)
Author: Cynthia Eden

You’re just like him. He’s burning, and you’ll burn, too. Only I can save you. Rogziel’s words pounded in her mind. How many times had he told her the same thing? Evil. Hell. Burn.

She’d been trapped with him for as long as she could remember. “I just want to be free,” she whispered, and this time, she was telling Sam the absolute truth.

His eyes narrowed.

“I was supposed to kill you.” She could give him that much, here in the darkness, alone on the street. “But I didn’t.”

He lifted his hand, stared at it, then looked back at her. “You truly don’t know what I can do.” Then he leaned closer. “Do you know how many angels there are?”

Hundreds. Thousands. She’d greedily absorbed every bit of angel lore and gossip that she’d ever heard over the years.

His hand slid down her arm, and a shiver skated over her skin. She was hypersensitive to him. So aware of his touch, his body.

Damn succubus blood. Sometimes, it just made her weak.

“I was an Angel of Death.”

She didn’t move. “You told me that already.” She’d never met another Angel of Death. Most people hadn’t. You only saw an Angel of Death when it was your time to die. The last visit was with the AOD.

“One touch . . .” The back of his hand slid over her skin. “And I kill.” His head lowered toward her, but he didn’t make the mistake of kissing her.

One kiss and I can kill.

“You sure you want to push me?” His question was barely more than a growl.

Don’t let him see the fear. She lifted her chin. “You won’t kill me.” He’d had too many chances. “You need me. Right now, I’m your best bet for finding your brother.” She let another laugh roll free as she stared into his eyes. “So give me your word, Fallen, and let’s get this show on the road.”

His jaw hardened. “You’ll take me to Az?”

She nodded. “And when the time comes, you’ll owe me—so you do exactly what I say.” Having an Angel of Death at her command would be perfect. She’d love to see someone try to take down that guard dog.

“Fine,” he gritted out.

Her gaze dropped to his lips. “Want to seal the deal with a kiss?” He was touching her, and she wasn’t running in fear. Surely the big, bad demon could handle one more kiss from her.

His hands closed around her shoulders, and he lifted her up onto her toes. His mouth took hers with heat and lust and wild need, and oh, it was exactly what she needed. A spike of power fueled her blood. More. She wanted to touch his flesh. Wanted to sink onto him and let the pleasure take her.

It had been far too long since she’d let go with her lover. When lust could kill, you always had to keep your control in bed.

Even when you wanted to let it shatter.

Sam’s dark head lifted. She saw the same lust she felt reflected in his eyes.

But then his gaze left her as his stare swept the street. “Where is he?”

Right. Business before pleasure. “Close.” She started walking, and Sam fell in right beside her. Rogziel had a containment center set up in the middle of the warehouse district. A low-profile place on the outside, but one that was well secured and perfect on the inside for the type of work Rogziel preferred.

Good thing she knew just how to get inside that warehouse.

They moved closer to the hulking shadows made by the buildings. They advanced in silence as the path twisted and turned. Ten minutes. Fifteen.

When Warehouse 609 appeared before them, Seline stopped. She put her hand on Sam’s chest. “This is as far as you go.” Her voice was a breath of sound.

“The hell it is.” He rocked forward, and his muscles tensed beneath her palm. “Is he in there, is he—”

Her hand fisted in his shirt-front and she jerked. The fabric tore. He blinked at her. “You don’t go in,” she said, this time making her words an order. Her gaze swept the front of the warehouse. It looked like two guards were stationed outside.

It wasn’t those two that they had to worry about. If Rogziel was inside . . . hello, hell.

“My boss could be in there—him and a dozen other guards that we don’t want to piss off right now.” Sometimes, you had to pick your moments. Going up against Rogziel when he had his little army at his beck and call wasn’t a good idea. “Let me go in and scout the scene. Your brother was here, but they could have moved him to a new site already.” Or they could have killed him, and just where would that leave me?

Sam glared down at her.

“We have a deal,” she snapped at him, running a not-quite-steady hand through her hair as she tried to smooth it back. “I don’t want to go in with guns blazing, okay?” Because she did have a few friends who should be in that warehouse. Well, semi-friends. Humans didn’t usually like to get too close to her. “Let’s try to keep the body count to a minimum.”

“Why do you care?” He seemed genuinely confused.

Well, crap. What? Did he think a succubus couldn’t feel? She felt too much. “Because I don’t want any more blood on my hands. I’ve already got enough.” She took a deep breath. “Look, I can get inside instantly, I can search the warehouse, and if your brother is still there”—okay, this was the dicey part—“I’ll serve him up to you on a silver platter.” As long as you remember that you owe me.

He stared at her. Time slipped away in silence.

She shifted her weight to her right foot. “Jeez, look, we don’t have all—”

“Go in.” His shoulders rolled. “But if you try to cross me, it’ll be the worst mistake you make. I promise you that.”

Sam crossed his arms and watched Seline slip away. He didn’t trust her, not for a moment, but . . .

I want her.

Even though he knew better than to want a succubus. Talk about a lethal package.

She approached the guards. They must have recognized her because they opened the double doors and led her right inside the building.

Is Az in there? His back teeth were clenched. To be so close to his vengeance now. So close.

Don’t betray me, Seline. If she did, if this was just a setup . . . She’d learn just how painful his touch could be.

“Seline? What the hell?”

She turned at the call and found Alex Graham striding toward her. He wore all black, and a holster circled his shoulders.

A human, one who made it his mission to hunt monsters.