Angel of Darkness (The Fallen #1)(26)

When she leapt back to her feet, she saw that Connor stood in the doorway, fangs glinting. Two other vamps waited behind him. Figured. Connor had always liked an audience.

“You’re bleeding.” Keenan’s too-calm voice came from her right.

She didn’t want to think about her arm. Those claws had stung like a bitch. “I’m fine.” Actually, they were screwed. Connor was blocking the only way out.

Coming there had been a serious mistake.

“You shouldn’t have brought your pet,” Max sneered as he circled her and Keenan. He wiped away the blood that trickled from his lips, then he licked his bloodstained fingers. “Only vamps dine here. Everyone else is on the menu.”

“Yeah, coming here was a great idea,” she muttered, trying to put her body in front of Keenan’s. She offered a big, fake smile to the others. “My mistake. Won’t happen again.”

“Nicole.” Connor purred her name. “Of all the vamps, you’re the last one I expected to see tonight.”

“Who is he?” Keenan growled.

Connor’s smile was too knowing. “I’m the one who taught her about the sweet mix of pleasure and pain.”

She would not go there.

“We killed together ...” He said, voice dipping with the memories. “Then I drank from her, and—”

And Keenan was on him. Holy shit, she hadn’t even seen the guy move! Keenan had his hand wrapped around Connor’s throat and Connor’s minions were staring with wide eyes because—damn—he’d moved fast.

“Nicole doesn’t kill.” Keenan’s dark, rumbling voice filled the room.

Connor’s claws slashed down Keenan’s arms. “Yes, mate ... she does. Not that she ... had much ... choice ...”

Max tried to run at Keenan’s back. Again. This time, Nicole just grabbed the gun he’d been fool enough to leave out, and she shot him.

Max howled and fell to the ground. Silver might not kill their kind, but any bullet, especially one fired at close range and right into a man’s spine, would hurt like hell.

The gunshot had every eye turning to her. She readjusted her aim as she pointed at the minions. “Step toward him, and you’ll be digging out silver.”

They didn’t move.

“You’re ... defending me?” Keenan’s brows rose. “I didn’t expect that.”

“Yeah, well,” neither did I, “you saved my ass, so I figure now it’s my turn.”

He nodded. “But I didn’t need your help.”

Ungrateful much?

Keenan stared into Connor’s eyes. “Do you want to die?”

Connor jerked free. He’d always been strong. “Bastard, I am dead. And so are you. Nikki doesn’t have the balls to shoot me, not after what we went through. So I’ll cut you up, I’ll drain you and then—”

Nicole shot Connor right in the chest. He stumbled back, then fell, screaming her name.

“It’s because of what we went through,” she whispered, aware that her fingers were shaking, “that I can shoot you.” Because she knew just how vicious Connor could be. Shoot or die. She didn’t want to die.

“Bitch!” Connor shoved a hand against his chest, and his fingers were immediately stained with blood.

Shouts echoed from the bar. Of course, the other vampires had heard the gunshots. With their enhanced hearing, there had been no way for them to miss the shots. Even humans wouldn’t miss the sounds of gunfire. Getting out of that place would be a nightmare.

Keenan stepped back.

“There’s got to be another way out of here,” Nicole said, her gaze sweeping the room and her hands still trembling. Didn’t kill him. She’d just slowed Connor down. He’d recover the moment he got his fangs into one of his bimbos’ throats.

Not a human. Not dead. She tried to take a deep breath.

The minions had slipped away. They’d probably be back with reinforcements. “Maybe another door—”

“No, shit, no, leave me alone!”

Her head snapped to the left. Keenan was crouched next to Max, and the angel had a knife in his hand. Where had Keenan gotten that? And he’d just sliced the vamp.

“It’s blood loss, right?” Keenan asked in that same quiet, calm voice he’d used when he told her that she was bleeding. A really creepy voice. “That’ll kill a vamp every time.” He lifted the knife to Max’s throat. “You could bleed to death slowly ... or else I could just take your head.” The blade cut Max’s skin.

“No!”

Nicole didn’t move. “Keenan ...”

“You never answered my question, Max.”

The shouts from outside grew louder. More vamps were creeping toward the door. She glanced down at the weapon she still held. How many more bullets were in the gun? How many vamps could she hold back?

“Tell me what you’ve got that will take out a level-ten demon.”

That was what Keenan still wanted to know? Her gaze whipped back up. “Tell him,” she snapped, her heart racing. Oh, they needed to get out of there. Fast.

Another vamp tried to come through the doorway. Nicole fired. Missed him.

Laughter teased her ears.

“You’re just ...” Connor rasped. “Makin’ ’em ... hungrier. . .” His red hand pressed to his chest once more. He offered his twisted grin. “Missed my ... heart.”