Angel Betrayed (6 page)
Sooner or later, Sam would see hell again.
Then he’d be the one screaming.
Sam was naked. And aroused. Seline tried to yank her eyes away from the swollen length of his cock, but when she stared up at his furious features, um—that view wasn’t exactly good.
“Who sent you.” Not a question, a furious demand.
She blinked and tried to look innocent. Right, like she’d ever been able to manage that feat. Thanks to her incubus father, playing innocent had always been a stretch of her acting abilities. “Look, Sam, I don’t know what you—”
“I know what you are.” He stalked closer. She scrambled to her feet because she wasn’t just going to kneel on the floor and wait for him to kill her. She wasn’t easy pickings. “Your skin is still glowing, your cheeks are flushed, and the room is nearly crackling with your power.” His eyes narrowed to chips of black fire. “Did you really think I wouldn’t know when a succubus was dream-walking with me?”
Well, she’d hoped he wouldn’t know. The others hadn’t. Most guys just thought they were in the middle of one awesome dream. Just a dream that folks didn’t exactly wake up from.
“Seline!”
Her hands clenched. “I’m not a succubus.” Her voice came out strong and clear—a very good thing. She was rather proud of that tone. But her heart still raced hard enough to shake her chest, and her gaze wanted to dip down the broad expanse of his chest.
Focus.
Why did she have to possess such a weakness? Fear should be her only concern then, not lingering lust. Again,
thanks, Dad.
Wonder if he heard her thoughts in hell? Probably not, but it never hurt to send out bad vibes.
Why did she have to possess such a weakness? Fear should be her only concern then, not lingering lust. Again,
thanks, Dad.
Wonder if he heard her thoughts in hell? Probably not, but it never hurt to send out bad vibes.
“Liar,” Sam tossed out, and the back of his hand skimmed down her cheek. “I suspected the first time I saw you on stage. The humans got weak while you just seemed to shine.”
Shine.
Yes, that was one of the effects. When she absorbed enough energy, her skin took on a faint glow. The glow was relative to the amount of power she stored. The more power, the greater that glow.
Yes, that was one of the effects. When she absorbed enough energy, her skin took on a faint glow. The glow was relative to the amount of power she stored. The more power, the greater that glow.
Sam had been a wonderful source of power. All that sensual energy just waiting for her. Now she was lit up like a human sparkler.
His head leaned toward her, and his lips brushed lightly over hers. Seline refused to back down. Instead, she just stole more of his energy.
His mistake.
He should really stop underestimating her.
His mistake.
He should really stop underestimating her.
“Did you know,” he began, his mouth hovering over hers, “I can kill you as easily as I kiss you?”
Seline swallowed.
And I can kill you with a kiss.
And I can kill you with a kiss.
His tongue whispered over her lips. “Succubus.”
Only a half-breed one. That’s why she had to be physically close in order to dream-walk with him. Her lashes lifted, and she gazed into his eyes. Scary, dark eyes that she still found strangely compelling. Then she voiced the suspicion that had fueled her heart as she said, “Angel.” The wings . . .
“Not anymore. These days, I’m Fallen.”
For an instant, her world seemed to stop as fear froze her blood. Fallen—just like her mother. An angel for a mother and a demon incubus for a father. Oh, yeah, she’d been screwed up from birth, and since her parents had wound up killing each other before she could even walk . . .
Seline knocked his hands away. “I didn’t want this job.”
“Oh?” One black brow rose. “So you’re done playing the innocent victim in need of help?”
“I’ve never been innocent.” Time to drop the act. Partially, anyway.
“Neither have I.” His grin was wicked.
Fallen.
Damn. She hadn’t counted on that, but now it made sense. No wonder Rogziel had been so determined to get Sam. Who better for her boss to take down than Sam? He’d been hot to send Sam to hell, and now she truly understood why.
Damn. She hadn’t counted on that, but now it made sense. No wonder Rogziel had been so determined to get Sam. Who better for her boss to take down than Sam? He’d been hot to send Sam to hell, and now she truly understood why.
His knowing smile soon slipped away. “Moorecroft was just bullshit. A sob story to get close to me.”
“No.” She shook her head. “He truly wants me dead. I
did
kill his friend, but I promise the bastard deserved what he had coming.”
did
kill his friend, but I promise the bastard deserved what he had coming.”
“Like I deserve death?”
Rogziel thinks so.
“Don’t you?” she threw right back. This was her job. Nothing easy, nothing pretty. Just death.
Punishment.
Someone had to stop the monsters out there, and she was the perfect aberration to do the job.
“Don’t you?” she threw right back. This was her job. Nothing easy, nothing pretty. Just death.
Punishment.
Someone had to stop the monsters out there, and she was the perfect aberration to do the job.
But this is my last assignment. I’m getting out. Going to vanish.
Because she couldn’t wash the blood off her hands anymore.
Because she couldn’t wash the blood off her hands anymore.
She’d tried to atone for the sins of the past by killing monsters, but their blood stained as dark as anyone else’s.
Sam stepped back, dropping his hand. He exhaled on a rough sigh. “Someone sent you to die.”
Possibly.
She held her ground. “You really think you can kill me?”
She held her ground. “You really think you can kill me?”
That wicked grin flashed again, and her breath caught. “I’m Sammael, sweetheart, I can kill
anyone.
” He lifted his hand and stared at his fingers. “I’m the Angel of Death. All it takes is a touch . . .” He glanced her way. “And I can rip your soul right from your body.”
anyone.
” He lifted his hand and stared at his fingers. “I’m the Angel of Death. All it takes is a touch . . .” He glanced her way. “And I can rip your soul right from your body.”
Angel of Death.
The room seemed to dim. Unlike most
Other,
she knew quite a bit about angels. Not so much
Fallen,
because who would want to fall from Paradise?
Other than my mother.
But she knew the angel lore. There were so many angels in heaven, thousands of them flying around.
The room seemed to dim. Unlike most
Other,
she knew quite a bit about angels. Not so much
Fallen,
because who would want to fall from Paradise?
Other than my mother.
But she knew the angel lore. There were so many angels in heaven, thousands of them flying around.
There were punishment angels, messenger angels, guardians, and . . . the most powerful, the angels of death.
An Angel of Death could truly kill with a touch. Just a touch. Rogziel had sent her after Sammael, and he’d neglected to tell her that real vital bit of information.
She wet her lips. “Wh-why did you fall?” Most people might not actually believe an angel could fall, but she wasn’t like everyone else. Her mother had fallen because she’d been tempted by an incubus. Erina had been weak, and she’d paid for her crime.
And I’ve been paying, too.
Paying her entire life for sins she’d never committed.
Paying her entire life for sins she’d never committed.
“I got a taste for the killing.” His gaze flashed back to that deceptive blue, and this time, she did feel like the words held the whisper of a lie. “So I started to kill whoever the hell I wanted.” His gaze raked her. “Want to guess who is next on my list?”
No, she didn’t want to guess at all. Seline swallowed. The odds of her survival were looking real slim. “Can you—can you at least put on clothes before you kill me?”
He blinked and frowned a bit. “A succubus cares about modesty?”
Her back teeth clenched. “I told you . . .”
“Yes, but nearly every word you say is a lie. So why should I believe anything you say?”
Her bare feet pressed into the hardwood floor. Her dripping blood—maybe his?—had already stained the floor. “Because you need me.”
He laughed like that line was hilarious. Jerk.
“You need me,” she snapped out, raising her voice to be heard over his laughter, and then she played her trump card. “If you want to find your brother.”
That
stopped his laughter. “Seline . . .” Her name was a warning. “You don’t want to make me angrier than I am.”
stopped his laughter. “Seline . . .” Her name was a warning. “You don’t want to make me angrier than I am.”
Oh, was that possible? She hadn’t realized. She almost rolled her eyes. “If you want your brother—” Hell, what had been the guy’s name? Azik? Azra? She couldn’t remember for sure because she’d just heard Alex say it once.
Better shorten it to be safe.
“If you want to see Az, then you’ll back off.” She flashed him what she knew was her own wicked grin. “Or you’ll never get the vengeance you want.”
Better shorten it to be safe.
“If you want to see Az, then you’ll back off.” She flashed him what she knew was her own wicked grin. “Or you’ll never get the vengeance you want.”
The lines around his eyes tightened, but Sam made no move to touch her. Good. She didn’t trust his touch.
Seline didn’t lower her guard. She knew better than to relax when a snake was close to striking. “I didn’t come in alone. You were right. Earlier, we were being watched.” The guys in the van were her backup.
If Sam’s eyes narrowed anymore, she figured that they’d be slits.
“We need to get out of here,” she told him. “If we don’t, then they’ll blow this house up with us inside.” She wasn’t lying then. As soon as Rogziel realized she hadn’t been successful. . .
Burn, baby, burn.
Folks in the city would see the flames from this house as they lit up the night.
Folks in the city would see the flames from this house as they lit up the night.
Sam waved his hand, and just that easy, he was dressed. Huh. Interesting trick that she’d never been able to manage.
He still didn’t touch her. Sam just stared at her with enough heat in his gaze to singe her flesh. “Take me to Az.”
She nodded, more than ready to deal. But first . . . “Promise that if I do, you’ll let me walk away.”
He grabbed her arm and they flew through the window.
Flew.
More glass shattered around them. Seline clamped her mouth closed, refusing to cry out.
Won’t let him hear the fear.
Some monsters liked fear too much—another lesson she’d learned the hard way. She plummeted straight down and choked back a scream. But her body didn’t slam into the unforgiving earth. Sam wrapped his arms around her and when they hit the ground, he cushioned her.
Flew.
More glass shattered around them. Seline clamped her mouth closed, refusing to cry out.
Won’t let him hear the fear.
Some monsters liked fear too much—another lesson she’d learned the hard way. She plummeted straight down and choked back a scream. But her body didn’t slam into the unforgiving earth. Sam wrapped his arms around her and when they hit the ground, he cushioned her.
Seline blinked. “Why did you—”
He twisted and dragged her to her feet. Then they were running. Not toward his car, but toward the waiting darkness of the swamp.
Smart.
If anyone actually was still watching, their eyes would lock on the Jag. Not on the gator-infested swamp. The insects chirped around her, but Seline refused to tense.
Hate bugs. Hate snakes. The Fallen will pay for this.
Once she figured out how to make him pay.
If anyone actually was still watching, their eyes would lock on the Jag. Not on the gator-infested swamp. The insects chirped around her, but Seline refused to tense.
Hate bugs. Hate snakes. The Fallen will pay for this.
Once she figured out how to make him pay.
A weathered dock waited up ahead. A small motorboat was tethered close by. Sam jumped in the boat and glanced back at her.
The wooden dock trembled beneath her feet. “You didn’t give me your promise,” she reminded him stubbornly as her hands clenched into fists.
“What do you actually think a promise from me is worth?” He started the motor with a quick yank that flexed his muscles. The black water lapped at the boat.
“You don’t trust me,” she whispered. “And I can’t risk trusting you.” But she wanted to. Her life was hell, and she was on a kill mission that she didn’t want. If Sam could just get her out of this mess . . .
He’s strong enough. He can give me freedom.
Or she could take him out and earn her own freedom. Provided, of course, that Sam didn’t kill her first.
He turned slowly and fixed his intent stare on her. “Who sent you after me?”
“Does it matter? I’m sure that I’m not the first assassin put on your trail.”
“Not the first,” he agreed as the motor hummed and water spit out behind the boat. “But you’re the only one I let live.” His body was a big, strong shadow. His voice seemed to make the water shudder.
“I wasn’t going to kill you tonight.” She felt obliged to point that fact out. Not that she expected it to earn her any points—
“Because you
couldn’t.”
couldn’t.”
No, he didn’t realize how strong she really was. She’d held back with him because she needed him.
But for a few moments there, she’d been afraid her grand plan had blown up in her face.
Your ass is mine.
Your ass is mine.
“I’ll take you to your brother,” Seline said, “but you have to promise to help me once you have him.” Couldn’t the man see the benefit to her offer? She’d thought to seduce her way into getting his aid. Put the guy under, get him hooked—and then she’d been sure he’d do anything for her.
Even kill.
But it looked like that plan wasn’t working so well.
Time for the back-up plan.
Time for the back-up plan.
Sam moved again in that blur that he seemed to do so well and snagged her wrist. “Still making deals? Don’t you know better than to bargain with the devil?”
Her laughter was bitter and weak. “I do. The bargain with him is what got me into this mess.” She let her glamour fall away, and she knew that her eyes would be as black as the water that surrounded them. “I want to be free, and you— you’re the only one who can help me.” Now that she knew what he was, Seline was even more certain that Sam was her ticket to freedom.
Freedom just had a hefty price tag these days.
“Another desperate appeal for my help?” he mocked.
She considered slugging the guy. Right. Like a hit would hurt him. She’d probably break her hand, and he wouldn’t even flinch. “A deal this time. You help me to walk away, and I let you live.” He should jump at this chance.
But Sam shook his head. “No dice, sweetheart. You take me to my brother.” He tugged her into the boat. “You get me to him or you—”
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