Avenging Angel (The Fallen #4)(42)
Author: Cynthia Eden

“I know you don’t want to screw with me right now,” Tanner said. “Because if you do, Russell, I’ll make you beg for death.”

Russell’s face tightened. “You always thought you were such a badass.” His claws drew more blood from Cody’s throat. “Who’s the f**kin’ badass now?”

“You’ve made the wrong move here,” Tanner snarled.

Marna caught the sweet scent of flowers, and her shoulders stiffened. An angel was there. She hadn’t seen him—or her—yet, but a death angel was on the scene.

Some of them wouldn’t be leaving alive.

What would Tanner do if Cody was the one to die?

The one called Russell could kill Cody long before her fire reached the guy’s flesh.

“Step away from her, Chance. Give us the angel, and you”—Jillian pointed to Cody—“and your brother can both walk away.”

“I’m supposed to buy that?” His voice mocked her. Called her an idiot.

Jillian’s face tensed. “If you don’t, I’m killing him in five . . .” She held up her hand and continued counting. “Four . . .”

Tanner raced forward, but the two shifted panthers at Jillian’s side jumped for him. They met in a tangle of claws and teeth and fury and blood.

“Three . . .”

Jillian’s gaze wasn’t on Tanner. It was on Marna. “Wanna try some of that fire again?” Jillian asked. “Maybe you’ll have better luck this time. Then again, maybe you won’t.”

One of the panthers screamed in pain.

“Two . . .” Jillian inclined her head toward Russell and the guy smiled with sick glee.

Tanner couldn’t save Cody. He was trying. Fighting and clawing, and he had one panther dead on the ground. The beast’s body shifted back to the form of a man, a man whose head was gone from his body. The scent of flowers deepened around Marna.

Death angel. A soul had been claimed. Who’d be next?

Only a second left. Just . . .

“One,” Jillian whispered, and Cody’s eyes fell closed.

“No!” Marna screamed even as Tanner roared his fury.

Tanner lunged forward and sank his claws into the panther’s side.

“Don’t kill him!” Marna yelled.

Jillian smirked. “Why? You gonna trade yourself, angel?”

Marna nodded. She would. Cody had saved her life once. Twice if you counted his deception at the hospital. Tanner had fought for her, over and over. Now it was her turn.

She took a slow step toward Jillian. Then another. Faster now. But she found Tanner in her way. Bleeding. Bruised. With his claws out and his eyes glowing.

“No.” The word was barely human. “You aren’t going with her.”

“Go ahead and rip his throat open, Russell,” Jillian called out. “I can—”

Marna tried to lunge for her, but Tanner yanked her back.

“Kill my brother,” Tanner said to the shifter, “and I’ll make you beg for death. By the time hell gets you, there’ll be nothing left, I promise you that.”

One thing she’d learned about Tanner, he always kept his promises.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Tanner kept his hand wrapped around Marna’s wrist. She was straining against him as she fought to break free.

Like that was gonna happen.

His brother’s eyes were on him. Blood soaked Cody’s shirt, and the captain that he’d actually been close to respecting was standing there . . . laughing.

The beast inside roared. His claws had already ripped free, his fangs were out, and Tanner was barely—barely—holding back the change.

There was too much fury within him. If the beast broke free now, there’d be no controlling the panther.

Betrayal. Cody’s blood. Death.

“The angel or your brother, it’s your choice.” Jillian crossed her arms over her chest. Looked smug and satisfied. “But you aren’t keeping both tonight.”

Yeah, he was.

“Let me go,” Marna whispered. “I’ll be okay, but he—he doesn’t have much time left.”

Because Cody was already swaying. His face had gone white, and the glamour had fallen away from him, revealing his demon black eyes. His brother always held his glamour. Always. Cody hated what he was, so he tried to pretend he was nothing more than a human.

He wasn’t.

Neither am I.

Why wasn’t Jillian just trying to take him out? She’d gone for his brother, but she hadn’t come at him directly. Why?

His gaze tracked back to her. For an instant, he saw the flicker of emotion on her face. Sonofabitch. She wasn’t scared of a death angel or another demon, but even though she had panthers as her bitches, she was afraid of—

Me.

Good. His eyes narrowed in anticipation. She should be afraid. He was about to show her just how deadly he could be.

The captain had set him up. Gotten him to draw Marna out into the open. What better place for an attack than the swamp? Had the captain even lied about seeing a demon in that patrol-car video? Just another part of her plan?

She’d regret trying to play a deadly game with him. This would be her last mistake.

Tanner turned his head toward Marna. Locked his eyes on her. She didn’t need to see this. “Run.”

Marna started to shake her head. Tanner dropped his hold on her. “Run!” More a roar than anything else, and that was the only word he could manage. He fell to the ground as his bones snapped and broke. Reshaped. His claws grew even longer, even sharper.

His beast was so dangerous. Far more dangerous than he’d revealed to Marna. Because when Tanner’s panther truly took over, when the rage was too strong . . .

The beast loved the blood and the kills. He hungered for the screams. Tanner had always fought against his instincts, but the truth was, deep inside, where the animal lurked, he was just like his father.

And, despite what he’d told Marna, his beast was just like his brother Brandt’s—their panthers had always been linked.

Just like the sadistic bastard who’d hurt Marna. Just like his father. Just like his brother.

Just. Like. Them.

Don’t watch. The man couldn’t tell Marna that now. The man was gone. The panther was taking the lead with a fierce rush of fury. Don’t see what I become. Don’t fear me.

Because she would. By the time he was finished, she’d have to.

“No!” Jillian’s scream. Then she had her gun up, and she fired at him. Once. Twice. “Stop him before he shifts!”