Angel in Chains (The Fallen #3)(53)

Maybe. Blood and flowers. He wouldn’t know for sure, not until he actually saw the prey.

They started moving again. Faster now because Tanner was closing in on that scent. Jade was moving too fast for a human, and she didn’t even seem to realize that fact. He didn’t know how long the blood would keep impacting her. The fact that she’d seen his wings—

She wasn’t afraid.

The trees seemed to blow past them as limbs reached out and scratched at his flesh.

“Tanner!” For an instant, he lost sight of the shifter.

Then Az rounded a bend, leapt over a fallen tree, and found Tanner crouched on the ground.

A blond woman lay in his arms. Skin pale and bloodstained. Marna.

No.

In an instant, he was at Marna’s side. She was on her back, with her eyes closed. He lifted her up carefully. Her clothes were torn but the skin of her stomach and chest were fully healed. Angels could heal so fast, even from a panther’s claws.

But as he lifted Marna higher into his arms, he realized that some wounds just couldn’t be healed.

Her wings had been sliced off. The flesh of her back was still mending, crossed with thick, red slashes, and her wings were—gone.

“Az?” Now Jade’s voice held fear.

The angel who came to take your soul. Did Jade remember her? He couldn’t look at her then. The guilt was too much. Marna’s injuries were his fault. He’d interfered. Altered fate.

An angel couldn’t fly to the gateway and enter heaven without her wings.

“I know that handiwork.” Tanner’s low, rumbling words. Az glanced at him and saw that Tanner’s face was twisted in fury. “Looks like Brandt got hold of her.”

Marna’s eyes weren’t opening.

Jade touched Az on the shoulder. “You know her.”

He nodded. “Her name . . . She’s Marna.”

“Another angel?” She whispered. “This—this probably sounds crazy, but I think I’ve seen her before.”

“You have seen her.” An angel’s power came from her wings. Without the wings, it would take Marna weeks to build up her strength. The others could see her now because her wings were gone. Marna’s life was gone. “When it was time for you to die, she’s the one who came to take your soul.”

Jade sank to her knees beside him. “Then why is she the one broken on the ground?”

Because of me.

Cody bent to press his hands against Marna’s back. “I can stitch her up. We need to get her back to my place. I’ll clean the wounds, bandage her—”

“And then Brandt will appear and finish slicing her up,” Tanner finished. “Sorry, but hell, no. This woman’s best chance for surviving is to get out of here.”

He was right. Az stood, with Marna cradled in his arms. His gaze met Cody’s. “I’m trusting you with her life. If anything happens to her, you don’t even want to know the fury that’s gonna rain down on all of us.”

Cody nodded and reached for her. “I’ll treat her, I’ll—”

“You and Tanner will get her out of here. You run as fast as you can, and don’t look back.” Because when Brandt came hunting, he’d follow Jade’s scent, not Marna’s. Jade’s and Az’s. They had to split up from the others if Marna was going to survive.

Az held the demon’s gaze. “When she wakes, whatever you do, don’t let her touch you.”

The doc’s eyes widened. “Why would—”

“She’s going to be furious, and you’ll be the demon within striking distance. One touch, and you’ll be dead.”

Cody swallowed. “Guess I’ll be strapping her down.” His hold tightened on the unconscious woman.

“If you want to keep living, you will.”

A nod from the demon.

Jade was silent beside him.

“How will you find us?” Tanner demanded. “Once you get the witch, what’s the big plan? You going after Brandt on your own?”

Perhaps. “Head back to New Orleans. Be at a bar called Sunrise tomorrow night, right at midnight.”

“And you’ll be there?” The shifter pressed.

Lying wasn’t an option, so it was a good thing that Jade said, “Yes” before Azrael had to reply.

“Go!” He told the other two, because tension already held his body tight. Minutes were trickling by. Brandt would be coming closer.

Tanner and Cody vanished into the trees. They’d protect Marna. Az just hoped she didn’t wind up killing them for their trouble.

“We need to make sure that Brandt has a scent to follow,” he said. “You’re the one he wants, so he’ll ignore everyone else and focus just on your trail.”

Jade nodded, then turned and started running deeper into the woods. He stayed right on her trail. Running with her, keeping close, but not trying to mask her scent in any way.

Then they broke through the bush. She stood gasping at the edge of the thick, green bayou water. “Now . . . what?”

They’d run far enough to lead Brandt on a nice chase. Az caught her hand. Pulled her close. He’d never tried this with another person. “Do you trust me?”

“Yes.” No hesitation.

“Then hold on.” He tightened his arms around her.