by Cynthia Eden
Don’t be Sam.
She took a step forward.
Cole grabbed her arm. “That’s not him.”
Then she saw the wisps of red hair sticking out above that dark cover.
She released the breath she hadn’t realized that she’d been holding. Her gaze swept the scene. Maybe Sam hadn’t been here. Maybe this was just some really screwed-up—
Alex’s van.
Seline stiffened when her gaze locked on the vehicle she knew too well. This isn’t good.
“The place was an inferno when I got here!” A man’s raised voice had her eyes flying to him. “And I ain’t drunk!” He waved his hands at the cop who stood before him. “I’m tellin’ you for the sixth time—a man came out of that fire. He just fuckin’ walked right out of it!”
Sam. She finally took a deep breath.
“His clothes were burnin’, but he wasn’t.” The guy, older, wearing a white shirt that had already started to show his sweat, shook his head. “He looked like the damn devil.”
Definitely her Sam. No one else fit that description quite like him.
The cop sighed and glanced at another uniform. She caught the raised brows and knew they weren’t even close to buying the guy’s story.
Didn’t matter. She was ready to buy it.
Seline waited until the cops stepped away and went off to interview more witnesses, probably folks they hoped would be more reliable. Then she grabbed Cole and headed for the man who was now making the sign of the cross over his body.
“Uh, excuse me, sir . . .” Seline began.
He turned toward her, with his eyes narrowing.
She tried a smile. “I couldn’t help but overhear—”
“I’m not fuckin’ crazy!” Sweat trickled down the side of his face.
Firefighters were shooting giant streams of water at the remaining flames.
“No, of course not,” she soothed. “But could you tell me . . . the man you saw,” the man she didn’t see any place now, “where did he go?”
The witness blinked his light blue eyes. “You believe me?”
She gave a quick nod. “Where did he go?”
A sigh heaved out of the guy as he swiped his hand over his forehead. “He chased after the other one.”
She kept her expression blank, but it was Cole who demanded, “Other one?”
“That blond guy.” He glanced down at the dirt stains on his shirt. “I tried to help him, thought he might have been hurt in the fire, but the guy just shoved me and ran.” His gaze tracked to the right and to the alley that snaked behind the cemetery. “Poor dumbass. The devil was followin’ him.”
“Not the devil,” Seline muttered. Not quite.
“Close enough,” Cole said instantly.
That just made the witness stare at them with a slack jaw.
Time to leave.
They hurried toward that alley. Blond. Okay, two possibilities for the blond male’s identity. Option one . . . Alex. His van was parked close by and the cemetery still burned—had he set a trap for Sam?
Rogziel wouldn’t be giving up on his prey so easily, and she’d seen Alex use his come-and-get-me routine before. He lured the prey in, then attacked with everything that he had.
But if Sam had chased after him, everything hadn’t been enough this time.
Or if it wasn’t Alex, then it could be Az. Her option two was a whole lot scarier than a human who thought he was tough.
Seline and Cole followed the snaking alley away from the cemetery and the crowd. The stench of garbage surrounded her as she jumped over things that she really didn’t want to think about too hard.
They turned another corner, and she stopped cold when she saw the scene before her.
Alex stood with his back pressed against a dirty brick wall. His hands were up, his eyes wide. Dark ash covered his face and clothes. He was breathing hard, the ragged sounds filling the air, and it sounded like he might be . . . begging?
Sam stood in front of him. No burning clothes. Perfect clothes again. Not so much as a hint of soot or ash on him. Mere inches separated Sam from Alex.
“Seline!” Alex saw her and screamed her name. “Call your dog off!”
Not her dog. Sam didn’t glance back at her.
“Stay away, Seline,” he said.
But Alex’s desperate eyes were on her. “He’s going to kill me!” he cried as spittle flew from his mouth.
“Only fair.” Sam’s voice held a taunting edge. “You tried to kill me today.”
Seline crept forward. Cole stood back, waiting.
“Here’s a tip,” Sam said, and as Seline circled around the men, she caught the flash of his grin. “You’re not strong enough to kill me. Your weapons aren’t strong enough. All you manage to do is piss me off.” He lifted his hand. “Guess what happens when I get pissed?”
Alex pressed back even more against the bricks. It looked like the guy was trying to shrivel up.
“I make you hurt.” Sam moved in that too-fast blur he did so well.
Alex screamed and grabbed for his left hand. Uh, his hand was facing the wrong direction. The bones had been broken in a blink of time.
She swallowed. “Sam . . .”
He didn’t look her way. “You should have stayed at the safe house.”
She tensed. Now he was going to talk about that?
“She’s in this!” More spittle flew from Alex’s mouth as he cradled his injured hand. “She’s fucking in this! Do your job, Seline—get this bastard! Drain him like you were supposed to!”
Seline didn’t move, not so much as an inch.
Did Sam’s shoulders stiffen? Hard to say. No change of expression crossed his face.
“Seline!” Alex bellowed.
She glanced back over her shoulder. Good thing those sirens were still wailing. Otherwise, they’d be having company. But the sirens were wailing, and she knew they were covering Alex’s cries. “I’m not working for Rogziel anymore.”
Alex laughed. “Is that the story you’re spinning?” He let his hands fall.
“Yes,” she said quietly, and took a deep breath. “Alex, where’s Az?”
His lips firmed into a thin line.
“Just tell me—”
“How the hell should I know? You’re the one who let him go last night!”
Not quite.
She glanced over her shoulder once more. This whole setup wasn’t good. They shouldn’t be outside like this. “We need to get out of here.” If Sam wanted, he could bring Alex with him, but right then, they needed to split. “We’re gonna have company soon.” Because Rogziel’s teams never worked alone. There was always backup lurking nearby.
And not all the other teams would leave Alex to his fate—the way he left me.
“Let them come.” Sam shrugged.
Right. Well, if she was an all-powerful Fallen who’d walked through fire without a burn, she might be shrugging, too. And to think, she’d actually raced over on the idea that he might need her help.
Delusions. Apparently, she had them.
But a loud pop filled the air, like an exploding firecracker, and Cole cried out in pain. Her gaze flew to him, and Seline saw that he’d grabbed his shoulder. His bleeding shoulder.
Shot. Not firecrackers, nothing nearly so innocent.
More bullets littered the alley. Sam didn’t flinch, but Seline ducked for cover even as one bullet flew right by her.
Too close!
Bullets hailed down around them. Sam grabbed her and twisted, protecting her with his body. She glanced up at him. Oh, wait, there he went, being all nice again. But it was probably a trick; he’d probably just leave her dangling in the air again in a few moments once the gunfire stopped.
A rush of wind filled the alley. Alex’s footsteps thudded as he raced past them. She heard distant yells, quickly choked off, and knew that Sam had used his power to reach the gunmen.
Guess that backup team wouldn’t be coming after all.
“Cole?
” Sam snapped out. “You okay?”
The demon was on his knees, bloody, but his head lifted and he gave a wave with his left hand.
Sam stepped back and turned to him.
Alex was getting away. Seline took off after him. Her legs pumped fast and she jumped into the air.
“Seline!” Sam’s snarl.
She tackled Alex. “You’re not getting away that easily.” They crashed onto the pavement.
“Fucking demon bitch. Traitor.” He rolled and came up fast. “You’re not getting away at all.” And the knife he’d gripped in his right hand came at her throat.
Before he could touch her, Sam touched him.
Alex’s whole body jerked as if he’d just been hit with an electrical charge. His eyes rolled back into his head, and a silent scream contorted his face.
He shuddered, then a moment later he fell to the ground, his body frozen. Dead.
Seline’s gaze rose to Sam’s. The pounding of her heart seemed far too loud. He’d told her what he could do, she’d known how powerful he was, but seeing him, well . . .
He’d just killed with a touch.
Very, very scary.
He offered his hand to her.
She was afraid of him. Sam could all but see her fear. Seline climbed onto Sam’s motorcycle, and she tentatively put her arms around his waist. Slow motions, every move so very hesitant, as if she were worried that touching him would be lethal to her.
“Tighter,” he ordered as he kicked away from the curb. They had to clear out of there as quickly as they could. Even the human cops wouldn’t overlook the thunder of gunshots.
Or the dead body that they’d left behind.
But the moment that the human Seline called Alex had risen with his knife and gone for her throat, the guy had been a dead man.
Alex just had to wait a few precious seconds for Sam’s touch to make his heart stop.
Death could be slow. Death could be fast. And when he wanted, Sam could make those last moments hurt. Alex hadn’t been given an easy death. The proof had been in the torment that twisted his face.
Seline’s hands tightened a bit around Sam. The motorcycle raced forward, and the heavy metal body vibrated beneath him.
Seline still wasn’t close enough.
Because of the fucking fear.
Why? She’d known what he was before. He’d told her. She worked for Rogziel. She had to know how dangerous his kind was.
But her eyes had gone so wide when Alex dropped to the ground. Her lips had trembled, and when Sam had reached for her, Seline had pulled back.
She’d begged for his touch just hours before. Now she pulled away from him. Too scared to touch.
His hands tightened around the handlebars.
The wind pushed against them as he swept through the streets.
Were more of Rogziel’s goons following them? Why did the punisher suddenly have such a hard-on for him?
All these years, and now Rogziel decided to focus on him? Right after Az’s fall? No way could that be a coincidence. But if Rogziel wanted to play . . .
Come and get me.
He’d love to rip those wings away for old ’Ziel.
Sam took Seline away from the city. He raced across old railroad tracks and slid beneath sagging bridges that looked like time had forgotten them. When they went off the road, Seline gasped and clutched him tighter.
Finally.
He didn’t stop until the sounds of the city were no more. Then, when he was sure he could see any hunter coming after him, he killed the engine.
The swamp surrounded him again. Twisting trees, heavy heat.
She immediately pulled away and jumped off the bike. Jaw clenching, he followed her.
Seline put a good five feet between them. “You . . . you . . .” Her hand gestured in the air, and she seemed to struggle for words. He didn’t help her. He just watched and waited while the anger grew inside of him.
Afraid to touch me.
“It’s true,” she finally said, a faint furrow between her brows. “You can really—”
“You’re a succubus. You use your body as a lure to drain power from men.” He made the words deliberately harsh, and she flinched.
“Dammit, that’s not—”
“You work for a punisher who spends his days doling out vengeance. You knew I was a Fallen.” He stalked toward her. She backed up a step.
His eyes narrowed. Was she trying to piss him off even more? “Everything you know, everything you’ve seen . . .” he grated. “And what? You thought I was lying?”
She swallowed and shook her head slowly. “N-no.” The sun spilled behind her, lighting her hair, making her skin shine and making her look even more gorgeous. “I’ve never seen . . .” Her voice was husky and stroked right over his groin. “You killed him with just a touch.”
And he knew demons who were strong enough to kill with a thought. Evolution had made the Other stronger, and for some, too hard to kill. Death could be a challenge some days.
Her chin rose. “Why haven’t you killed me?”
He lunged forward, knowing the move would look like a blur to her eyes. A handy Fallen side effect—near super speed. Not that it made up for having his wings burned away as he plummeted, but . . .
Sam caught her arm and pulled her close. Tension held her body taut. More fear. He hated fear in a woman’s eyes. “I didn’t fall yesterday.” No, so many centuries before. “I’ve learned how to”—he brought his face close to hers—“control myself,” Sam finished with his lips inches from hers.
The Fall had been brutal. He’d woken, naked, broken with his mind torn open. It had taken weeks for him to remember who—what—he was.
No control. Not then. At first, he’d been like a wounded animal. More than ready to turn on anyone or anything who came too close.
But he’d learned to focus his powers. Slowly, painfully. “I can bring death with my touch.” His lips brushed over hers. She didn’t flinch. He took that as a sign of progress. “Or I can bring pleasure.” It was all a matter of what he wanted.
With her, he wanted pleasure.
“Still scared of me, Seline?” he asked, even as his fingers sank into her hair. He tipped her head back.
“Yes.” He knew she spoke the stark truth. He could see it reflected in her eyes. “How do I know”—she licked her lips and he wanted that tongue licking him—“that you won’t turn on me?”
Now there was an interesting question. “And how do I know that the next time we fuck, you won’t try to kill me?” Because there would be a next time. He’d found something he wanted, and he wasn’t planning to let her get away.
He caught the faint flash of black in her eyes. Yes, he was rubbing his body against hers, letting his fingers play with the sensitive spot he’d found just on the back of her neck. A succubus’s strength was her passion, but that passion could be used against her.
If her lover knew what he was doing.
I know, sweetheart. He wasn’t above manipulation.
“You need to trust me,” he said.
She exhaled on a soft breath. “And you’ll trust me?”
Not yet. Maybe one day.
“Rogziel will come after you,” Sam stated flatly, but didn’t let her go. “Do you think you’ll be strong enough to stop him?”
“Will you?” she fired right back.
The calculation in her eyes reached him and gave Sam a moment’s pause. Well, well. “Is that what you wanted from the beginning?” When she’d been so eager to serve up his brother and abandon her allegiance to Rogziel?
“I want my freedom. That’s all I’ve ever wanted.”
But he held her trapped against him then.
“I’ve always known that Rogziel would never just let me walk away.” Her lips twisted into a humorless smile. “He thinks I’m too dangerous to be loose.”
Her curves pressed against him. Her plump lips tempted his mouth. So he said, with certainty, “You are.”
Sel
ine gave a hard shake of her head. “No, when it comes to the power scale, I’m nothing like you.”
His little succubus didn’t understand. There were all kinds of power in this world. Some were subtle, but still damn dangerous.
“When you’re free of Rogziel,” and she’d only be free when that guy was dead, “what are you going to do?”
“Disappear,” she said with soft longing. “I’ll leave this city. Go somewhere with a white sand beach and crystal blue water. I won’t think about death or monsters . . . or anything, but life.”
She didn’t get it. When you were an Other, you didn’t get to close your eyes and pretend that the monsters weren’t real. Not when the humans in the world thought you were the monster. But he didn’t shatter her little dream, not yet.
He needed her. If he told her the dream was bullshit, the woman might tell him to fuck off. “Do you still want our deal to work?”
Her gaze held his. Not black now, but that false brown stare of hers that could look so warm and trusting. “Yes.”
“Then you stay with me.” Because he’d been telling her the truth. Rogziel would come for her, sooner or later. “I get Az, then I’ll make sure you get your freedom from Rogziel.”
He could see the hope light her face. Demons had hope? Yes, they did. Sometimes they had more hope than angels.
But then her eyelashes flickered. “I don’t know where Az is anymore. I can’t help you—”
Ah, honesty. Trust might even be coming soon. “Yes, you can.” He released her and stepped back because if he kept touching her, they’d be fucking soon.
Now wasn’t the time to fuck, no matter how tempting she was.
Hunt.
“Rogziel caught Az,” he said.
“Uh, yeah, I know—”
“How’d he do that? How’d he know where my dear brother would be?” He lifted a brow because he already knew the answer. “Rogziel can always find those on his punishment list, right?” That was supposed to be the way for the punishers. No need to waste time searching for prey; not when you had a built-in homing device for them.
But Seline shook her head. “No, no, we always have to hunt those that Rogziel targets.”