Angel Betrayed (The Fallen #2)(24)

His hand dropped.

She sucked in a deep breath. “That’s it?” Do not get distracted by sex again. “Hot sex, then you’re gone? While I—what ? Hide here?” Seline gave a hard shake of her head. “Hiding wasn’t the deal. Look, I took you to Az.” She hadn’t exactly delivered him, but that wasn’t the point. Hello, fire, my hot friend. She’d done her best. “I did my bit, and now you have to hold up your end of the bargain.”

A muscle flexed along his jaw. “I saved you.”

Yes, right, and that did count for big bonus points, but she had another, much more pressing issue right then. “The guy who took Az, he’s gonna know . . .” Ah, damn. “The guards saw me go in. I brained one jerk-off with a chair, and while he was out, I stole the keys to Az’s chains. I burned my bridges.” Unfortunately, those bridges had tried to burn back. She realized that her fingers had a death-grip on the sheet. “When the smoke clears, they’ll be coming for me.”

He would. Rogziel would take her betrayal very, very personally. For a guy who wasn’t supposed to feel, he sure had a vengeful streak.

Hell hath no fury like an angel betrayed.

“Stay here,” he told her again, “no one will find you.” So confident. So careless.

Then he tried to pull away. No, not happening. With that power boost, her grip was pretty unbreakable. “I’m not hiding here forever! Besides”—her breath expelled on a rush—“you don’t know Rogziel.”

He seemed to turn to stone beneath her touch. Uh, oh. “Sam?” Her stomach twisted. Maybe he did know Rogziel. Maybe he knew the guy too well.

In a blink, Sam locked his hands around her arms and dragged her up on her tiptoes. The sheet slipped away and pooled on the floor.

“You worked for Rogziel?” he gritted from between clenched teeth.

So much for the post-sex glow and tender moment time. “H-he was the one who found Az. He knew because—”

“Because he’s a f*cking punishment angel.”

“Ah . . . I guess you do know him.” The angel world was composed of thousands, but it figured that her bad luck would hold and Sam would know Rogziel.

His hands tightened. “I know he’s a sick * who should have burned long ago.”

Yep, definitely sounded like he knew Rogziel. Maybe the angel world was smaller than she realized.





Falling from heaven had hurt like a bitch.

Omayo stared below at the bustle of the streets. He didn’t remember how long ago he had actually fallen, because time had lost meaning for him. He didn’t know, didn’t care.

Humans flocked on the street below. He watched them, had always watched them.

The morning sunlight slipped across the river’s surface. Couples walked hand-in-hand. Young lovers stopped to kiss. Tourists snapped photographs. Laughter and voices filled the air.

Emotion.

He could sense it all around him, and, finally, he could feel.

Pleasure. Joy. Happiness. No more watching, now he felt everything. Just like humans. No, more than the humans. He appreciated each moment more because he knew what it was like to live in a void and feel nothing.

He turned away from the balcony and paced back inside his apartment. His shoulders rolled, and for an instant, he felt the flutter of wings that weren’t there.

Small price to pay.

So he’d burned. So there would be no more flying for him. The clouds lost their appeal after centuries anyway.

He’d fallen. He’d f*cked. He’d loved. He’d laughed.

Humans were the lucky ones. They had paradise right at their fingertips, and they didn’t understand their joy.

He understood.

He’d burned for this joy.

A knock rapped at his door. He frowned but walked forward. He glanced through the peephole—humans had such fun little inventions—and surprise had his jaw slackening.

He jumped back—too late. The door flew inward, and the heavy wood landed on his body.

“Hello, friend.” The mocking voice grated as Omayo shoved the wood away from his body. He surged to his feet, more than ready to— A growl reached his ears. Low, menacing.

He stilled even as terror rose within him, spiking his blood and making his heart shudder.

“I know all about you,” that voice he knew too well said.

Omayo saw what waited in the doorway. The building was empty—just his apartment and a vacant garage downstairs. No one could help him.

As if humans could fight this. They’d be slaughtered in an instant if they tried. He’d never risked a human life. He wouldn’t start now.

“You watched them too long . . .”

Omayo stumbled back and sent a burst of power right at his old friend. “Get out!”

But the one he’d known for centuries didn’t move.

The blast seemed to have no effect. “You wanted to feel, Omayo . . .”

Was that so wrong? His hands fisted. “Centuries of nothing. Nothing. They have it all. I just wanted—”

The attack came at him in an instant. Teeth bit into his neck. Claws raked his body. He tried to scream, but the blood choked him.

Pain ravaged his body. Fury and fear twisted his stomach. . . even as the claws ripped into his gut.

No!

“Hope you enjoy every moment . . .” That damn voice. “Hope you like how it feels.”