Angel of Darkness (The Fallen #1)(25)

The angel wasn’t so good with finesse. Nicole cleared her throat. The bartender was a vamp. Maybe she could deal with him. She flashed a smile. A vampy one. “What my boyfriend means—sorry, he’s still new to the scene—is that I want to make a purchase from you.”

The vamp’s black eyes measured her, and he gave a jerky nod, as much of a nod as he could manage right then, anyway. “I’ll deal ...” He rasped. “With ... you.”

“You’ll deal with us both, Max,” Keenan promised as he shoved the guy back.

“How do you know me?” Max asked, his eyes narrowing.

“Word about you gets around.”

Okay, that sounded ominous.

Max straightened up quickly, cast a quick eye around the bar, and then shoved his thumb toward the door on the left. “This way.”

They couldn’t go that way fast enough. That blood smell was getting to her. Her control had never been that good and right then, that scent was sweeter than any candy she’d ever had.

She hurried behind Max and Keenan, her stare quickly sweeping back once more and— Oh, shit.

Nicole’s eyes met a pitch-black stare that belonged to a vampire she’d hoped to never see again. Handsome face, arctic black eyes, and a smile so cold and cruel ...

A lover. A killer.

Connor.

Her breath seemed to choke in her lungs. Then Connor lifted his hand and crooked his finger at her, urging her closer. Bastard.

She spun on her heel and hurried after Keenan.

But she knew the vampire would follow her. Damn him. She knew.

Some monsters never stopped hunting.

Not until you shoved a stake into their hearts.





CHAPTER FIVE



Max pulled out the gun and offered it, handle first, to Nicole. She took it, her hold hesitant, but the gun felt solid in her grip. Almost ... reassuring.

“Silver bullets,” he said, giving a nod. “It works best on wolf shifters, but all them damn animals will have some reaction to it. Fire and they’ll go down.” His lips kicked up a bit. “At least for a little while. Long enough for you to take their heads.”

Her lashes lifted and she met his stare. “Long enough,” she repeated quietly. The words came out weak because it seemed like her throat might be closing up.

Connor could come in at any moment. They didn’t have time to waste. “How much?” Why was she even asking? She had about one hundred bucks shoved in her back pocket. Well, she’d had it shoved there last night. She hadn’t even checked today.

Max ran his tongue over his fangs. “Well, now ...”

“We’re not worried about shifters.” Keenan took the gun from her and slammed it back down on the wooden table. “What have you got that will take out a demon?”

Max’s black eyes narrowed. “That would depend on just how strong your demon is.” He shrugged. “If you’re talking low level, maybe one or two ...” He lifted his claws. “These will work well enough.”

Her hands fisted.

“I’m not talking about a level two.” Keenan glanced over his shoulder and his gaze tracked to the door. That thin wooden door wouldn’t keep out anyone for long. Surely not someone like Connor McQueen.

“Then what are you talkin’?” Max demanded, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Powerful.” Keenan looked back at him. “High-end. Strong enough to burn the city to the ground around you.”

“Wh-what?” Nicole gasped. The demon who’d come hunting for her had been that strong? No, no way, he’d turned tail and ran. The strong didn’t run. Just the weak.

Me.

The faint smile slipped from Max’s face. His eyes measured Keenan. “What are you?”

Nicole stepped closer to him. “I already told you, he’s with me.”

“He’s no pet.”

Pet—the slang for human prey that a vamp drank and f*cked. She swallowed. “Yes, he is.” Nicole felt Keenan’s gaze dip to her face.

But Max didn’t seem to be buying her story. A muscle flexed in his jaw. “I want you both out of here. I don’t care how much money you have, you get the f*ck out!” He ran a shaking hand through his hair. “I don’t want no level-ten demon comin’ after my ass.”

“But if he did,” Keenan murmured, “how would you fight him?”

Max’s lips parted on a surprised breath.

A soft knock sounded at the door. Soft—such a lie. Nicole moved fast as she spun and put her back against Keenan’s. The better to fight and defend.

So two seconds later, when the lock shattered and the door burst open, she was ready to meet Connor’s black stare.

“Hello, there, love,” he told her, his voice flowing with the faintest of English accents. “Fancy meeting you in a hellhole like this.”

Hard fingers squeezed her shoulder. Keenan. No. He’d whirled around at Connor’s entrance, giving his back to Max. A fatal mistake with a vampire.

Nicole grabbed Keenan’s arm and yanked him out of the way—just as Max came at him, with claws and teeth ready. Max hit her instead, taking her down to the floor. His claws scraped down her arm, but she punched at him and slammed her fist into his jaw. Max’s head snapped back, and she twisted as she managed to roll away from him.