by Cynthia Eden
“You’ll know what it feels like, Brandt!” Heather yelled and laughed and thrust the knife at Jade again. “You’ll know what it feels like to lose what you love!”
The witch was strong. But this time, Jade was ready for her. A roar filled the air behind her. Heather’s golden eyes burned so bright. Too bright. When that blade came at her again, Jade caught Heather’s hand and held the weapon away.
The witch shuddered, and her eyes just burned brighter. “I’m taking his heart,” Heather said, almost growling the words. “I have to make him weak.”
Jade’s blood soaked her shirt. She kicked out at the witch and caught the other woman in the knee. Jade heard something pop, and the sound filled her with vicious pleasure.
Heather fell back. Jade fell, too, even as her hand rose to her chest and tried to stop the blood. Crazy bitch . . .
A blur of black fur flew past her. A panther. Brandt. He’d shifted. Gotten out of the flames.
He went for Heather’s throat. The witch never even had time to scream. His teeth sank deep, killing her, nearly severing her head from her shoulders.
“Jade?” Az’s voice. Az’s hands on her as he turned her to face him. She felt cold right then, but her body shook as if she had a fever.
“Stay away from her,” Az ordered fiercely. “Stay away.” And she saw that he was staring over her shoulder. Wait, who was behind her? Not Brandt. He was busy a few feet away, killing Heather.
The panther’s snarl raised the hair on her neck.
“You’re not taking her,” Az said, still staring behind her. “So stand the fuck back.”
She tried to push up into his arms. She’d been stabbed, but she wasn’t out. She’d survive this but—
But Brandt, in full panther form, was charging at Az’s back. She saw him over Az’s shoulder, running fast with his mouth open, his teeth bloody from his recent kill. He rushed forward—
“No!” She screamed and shoved Az to the side.
Brandt’s claws struck out. He was too close. Too close.
His paws sank into her chest. The pain lanced her, tore through flesh, muscle, and bone.
Killed her.
Az leapt up and grabbed the panther. With a roar, he tossed Brandt back. Even as the panther flew through the air, the fur melted from his body. Bones began to snap and bend—
I’m dying.
Jade couldn’t look at her chest. She didn’t want to see what he’d done to her. She’d wanted to kill him, but instead, death was coming for her.
“No!” Az was the one shouting the denial. “You’re not taking her! I won’t let you!” His hands were on her, pulling her up, but her head wanted to sag and her eyes were trying to close.
He shook her. “Stay with me.” No plea. An order.
She wanted to stay. But . . . but it seemed like she . . .
“Stay.”
“Jade!” Brandt’s anguished bellow.
Everything was growing darker, but she saw Az’s head jerk in the panther’s direction. “You’re dead.” Az had never sounded so cold. So brutal.
Then a blast of fire shot from Az’s fingertips. One ball. Another. Another. The flames lit up the darkness around her as they popped like fireworks. The fire flew at Brandt. Melted his flesh.
Then the ground began to shake. Dips and turns. The earth cracked open. A long, wide crevice split and raced toward Brandt. He tried to jump out of the way, but that crevice just seemed to chase him.
Then it swallowed him. Screaming, Brandt sank into the hole. Az laughed and lightning flew from his fingertips. The powerful lightning bolts hit the ground and seared the air with sulfur. And the lightning . . . it sealed the earth, locking Brandt inside.
Then Az glanced back at her. His eyes glowed with a brightness that matched the lightning. His face was twisted and so dark. Enraged.
Her angel looked like the devil.
“You won’t die,” he vowed.
Even an angel couldn’t stop death. Jade tried to speak but couldn’t. The scent of flowers was so strong now that the fragrance drowned out the death and blood. And . . . there was a woman standing beside Az. Jade strained to see her better. A woman with long, blond hair. Pale blue eyes.
And—wings?
Az stiffened. His head jerked to the left. “Marna, don’t even think of touching her.”
But Marna’s hand was already out. Just inches away. Jade’s chest burned so much. She could feel her heart struggling to beat. So weak. So—
Az wrapped his arms around Jade and seemed to fly ten feet. It hurt to be held so tightly against him and a moan broke from Jade.
“Don’t touch her!” He yelled again. “Marna, I swear, if you come near her again . . .” More lightning lit the area. Lightning that seemed to come from Az. “I’ll fight you.”
Then Az was racing away, with her held in his arms. Moving so quickly that everything was a blur. When the world stopped spinning, Jade found herself in the backseat of the car they’d used just moments before.
“Drive!” Az ordered. Jade managed to turn her head, and she saw that Tanner was in the front seat. How had he gotten there? He’d been . . . fighting panthers.
Hadn’t he?
It was getting so hard to think now. Even harder to breathe.
Tanner spun the car around with a squeal of tires. Jade would have fallen onto the floorboard, but Az held her tight in hands that trembled.
“You took the blow for me.” He pressed his lips against her cheek. She tried to touch his face, but her hands wouldn’t lift.
She couldn’t take in a full breath. When she tried, she choked on her own blood.
Dead.
“A human isn’t supposed to save an angel,” Az said, voice rough. “We’re stronger. We protect. We—”
She couldn’t keep her eyes open any longer. Her last sight would be of Az and the fear and rage that twisted his perfect face. She wished she could talk to him, but she just hurt too much. Everything hurt. There was no way to say . . .
Good-bye.
Brandt burst from the earth with a scream on his lips that was Jade’s name. Dirt flew around him, spewing from his mouth and eyes. The fucking bastard had tried to bury him alive.
“I’ll rip you—”
The angel was gone. Jade was gone. All that remained where she’d been was a pool of blood.
I hurt her. The beast within clawed and roared. Jade. I . . . hurt . . . her.
But only because that angel had shoved Jade forward. Yes, yes, that was what the coward had done. He’d yanked Jade up and forced Brandt to hurt her.
Don’t be dead, baby. Please . . .
He needed her too much.
A moan had his head snapping to the left. The witch still lay near the moss-filled cypress tree. Blood had turned the ground red beneath her. She stared up—up at the woman who stood above her. A woman with long blond hair and black wings.
The woman wasn’t even glancing his way. She had to know he was there, but the winged woman just stared down at Heather. As he watched, she slowly lifted a hand to touch the bleeding witch.
I know what you are. Just like Azrael. Rage broke through him as Brandt rushed for the blonde. His claws swiped out and tore right through her wings.
She screamed, the sound high and keening, and the woman turned toward him in shock. Tears swam in her blue eyes.
He smiled at her. “Hello, angel.” He’d seen wings like hers before. Long, long ago.
She stumbled back, slipped over Heather’s prone body, and fell.
“You’re about to get those wings clipped.”
Her head shook frantically. “You can’t—you can’t see me!”
He sliced her arm open. “Oh, I see you just fine.” He pulled back and aimed to take another swipe at her.
She flew by him, a wild rush that tossed his hair and brushed across his skin. But his claws were out when she tried to race past, and he knew he caught her.
Her blood rained down on him even as the little angel
tried desperately to make her way back to heaven.
But it would be hard to fly with broken wings.
A rasp rattled from Heather’s chest. Slowly, his gaze dropped back to her. Despite the gaping wound in her neck, she still lived.
Because the angel hadn’t touched her. Son of a bitch, all of those fucking stories had been true.
When his packmates had first come back to him with intel they’d gathered in New Orleans, he hadn’t really believed their news. Jade’s new watchdog was an angel? Bull.
But . . . but one of his panthers had bribed a demon who worked at a club called Sunrise. That demon had been ready to spill secrets, for a price.
According to the story, Azrael was a Fallen Angel who’d gotten his ass kicked out of heaven. And angels, well, they were hard SOBs to kill. In fact, no mortal weapon could kill them.
He glanced at his hands and the claws that still burst from his fingertips. Good thing he didn’t have to use any mortal weapon when he attacked.
Since this wasn’t his first time to meet an angel, he’d already known Azrael’s weakness, and he’d attacked with a vengeance.
Heather’s breath rattled in her chest once more. A death rattle. The sound should have meant she was seconds from dying. If he hadn’t just sent her Death Angel fleeing, the witch would be dying.
Now you . . . you aren’t.
He knelt beside Heather. Her eyes were open and tears trickled down her cheek. “Easy,” he whispered and smiled at her. “I’m going to take care of you.” He’d see to it that she lived, because Heather would be useful to him. “And you’re going to help me find what you fucking nearly took from me.”
She tried to crawl away. He laughed. “Don’t worry, once I have Jade back, I’ll let death take you.” After he’d had his fun.
After.
But first . . .
Jade, be alive. Because if she wasn’t, he’d rip his way through hell to get her back.
CHAPTER NINE
“She’s dying.” The pronouncement came from Tanner as she threw a fast glance into the backseat. “This shit wasn’t supposed to happen, and she’s dying.”
Jade’s blood stained Az’s fingertips. No matter how many times he tried to stroke her flesh and share his warmth with her, Jade’s skin remained ice cold. Colder than death. He knew that touch too well.
“Death isn’t here yet.” Because he’d left Marna behind. Scared the angel. Angels weren’t supposed to feel fear. But Marna had always been weak. Too curious about humans. Too slow to take the dying.
If there was one angel he could push around, it was her.
So if she came back, he’d make certain he pushed again. “We just have to get the bleeding stopped,” Az said and his gaze locked on Jade’s still face.
Tanner muttered, “I think we have to do more than that.”
“Just get her to a doctor.” If she’d been Other, she could have already been healing instead of growing colder with each moment that passed.
“The city’s at least forty-five minutes away.”
Because they’d driven deep into the swamps of Louisiana to find a prey that was stronger than Az had ever anticipated. My touch should have killed him.
Had Jade known what he was up against? He’d find out, once she lived. “I don’t think she’s got forty-five minutes,” Tanner said as he jerked the car and it flew to the left with a screech of its tires. “But I know a doctor who’s closer. He’s got a clinic in the bayou—”
“Get us to him.”
The car was jumping and hurtling down the dirt road. “I will, but, fuck, man, don’t expect a miracle.”
Why not? Others had gotten them. Why couldn’t he?
“She could die any—”
“I won’t let her die.” Az was adamant. Her death wasn’t an option for him. “Just take us to the doctor. Get us there, and I’ll take care of Death.”
On his watch, no angel would get to her. And if an angel couldn’t claim Jade’s soul . . .
Then she couldn’t die.
Az held her tighter as the car whipped along the old, dirt road through the twisting trees. Jade’s eyes weren’t open. Blood soaked her chest, but her heart still beat. His hand was over her heart, so he felt those precious, struggling beats.
“Stay with me,” he whispered to her.
No one had ever come between him and death before. No one had ever sacrificed for him.
Until now.
The car screeched to a jarring stop moments later. Tanner flew from the front seat. The cop yanked open the back door and tried to take Jade. Az just held her tighter. If an angel came, he had to be close to her.
With her still in his arms, Az carefully climbed from the car. Her head sagged back against his shoulder. Dark shadows lined her closed eyes.
Tanner ran toward the shack that rested near the woods. His fist pounded onto the door. “Cody! Dammit, Cody, open the door!” But then he didn’t give Cody a chance to answer his summons. With not even a second’s hesitation, Tanner kicked the door open.
And he was immediately shoved back through the air. “What the hell are you thinking, Tanner?” a hard voice snarled. “You don’t bring your arrogant panther ass down here and ram in my door.”
Tanner shoved to his feet. “We need your help.” He pointed toward Az and Jade. “She’s hurt.”
Cody’s dark head turned and his eyes—dark eyes, demon eyes—locked on Jade. “She’s dead.”
Az thought about incinerating him. But, no, they needed the guy. For now. “Demon, are you a doctor?”
Cody stiffened. “I’m no demon.”
Az strode toward him. “Tell that to someone who can’t see you for what you really are.” He knew demon eyes when he stared into them. No magic glamour could fool him.
Cody’s hands lifted as if to ward him off. “Don’t bring a dead girl to my door. There’s nothing I can do for her.”
“She’s not dead.” But the doctor could be, very soon.
“Brandt attacked her.” Tanner ran a shaking hand through his hair. “Those were his claws that tore open her chest.”
“Fuck.” Cody rocked back on his heels. “Our psycho of a brother won’t ever stop, will he?”
“That’s Jade.” Intensity fueled Tanner’s voice.
Cody’s brows climbed and his arms dropped. “Brandt’s Jade?”
Hell, no. “My Jade.” Az stepped toe-to-toe with the demon. “And if you want to keep living, then you’ll make sure she does, too. You have to stitch her up. Close those wounds. Help her.” An order when it should probably have been a plea. But he’d never had to plea for anything before. Even when he’d been cast out of heaven, he hadn’t begged. He’d raged. Cursed. Fought.
Cody swallowed and nodded. “I-I’ll do what I can.”
Not good enough. “You’ll do everything.” He strode through the entrance and was surprised to see that the place was actually much bigger inside than he’d realized. It snaked back, dipping low and twisting around.
Cody hurried around him. “This way. I have a small clinic set up for—”
“For emergencies like these,” Tanner finished quietly.
The demon doctor shoved open another door. The room inside was small, but packed with medical equipment.
“Put her on the table.” He grabbed a pair of gloves. “We need to cut off that shirt so I can see what kind of damage we’re dealing with.”
Az lowered her onto the thin table. Her head rolled to the right. Carefully, he pulled away her shirt, ripping it when it stuck to the drying blood because he didn’t want to jar her. The slashes were deep into her chest. Thick, gaping. He ached when he saw them.
And he wanted to tear Brandt apart. Death will make you scream.
“Sadistic bastard.” Rage thickened Cody’s voice. “I thought she was supposed to be the one that he loved.”
Tanner shook his head. “You know he can’t really love anything. He can only destroy. He can—”
“He meant to kill
me.” Az brushed back her hair. “She . . . got in his way.”
“You mean she took the attack for you.” Tanner was by his side. “Brandt has killed too many people that Jade loved. I wasn’t there back then, but I know the stories. She wasn’t just going to let you die, too.”
Az frowned down at her. “Jade doesn’t love me.” She needed him. She . . . wanted him.
But love?
The cop didn’t respond.
The one called Cody stared down at Jade’s savaged body. “I can close the wounds . . .” He licked his lips. “But I’ll tell you now, she’s lost too much blood to survive.”
Tanner’s head snapped up. Az saw the shifter’s nostril’s flare. “Flowers,” Tanner mumbled. “That scent, I smelled it before . . .”
Found us. Az spun away from the table. “Close her wounds and get her ready for a transfusion—”
“I don’t have any blood here.” Cody cut through his words instantly. “I can’t—”
“Get her ready!” He yelled back at him. Az followed that floral scent out of the house. If he hadn’t been so intent on Jade, if the smell of her blood hadn’t filled his nostrils, then he would have already known.
Death stalked them.
Time for him to send Death running.
He shoved through the broken door and stood on the slanting porch with his legs braced apart and his arms loose at his sides. “Marna, I told you what would happen if I saw you again!”
An angel appeared in front of him. The angel’s long, black wings stretched toward the sky. But this wasn’t the delicate Marna. This . . . This was Bastion, an ancient Death Angel. An angel who’d been second only to Az.
“Where is she?” Bastion demanded as his wings lowered. His eyes, golden as the streets of heaven, penned Az.
Az didn’t move. “You’re not getting to her.”
Bastion’s eyes narrowed. Interesting. The angel had never shown any emotion before. Or . . . perhaps Az just hadn’t noticed the signs when he’d been in heaven. Maybe he hadn’t wanted to see them.
Because that would have meant that we were all weak.
“Your human should have left this world already,” Bastion said flatly. “Her name is in the book.”