Angel of Darkness (The Fallen #1)(40)

Keenan slammed on the brakes. The brakes squealed, and the truck fishtailed.

The angel’s knees had bent just a bit when he landed, and his head was bowed. As the truck flew toward him, he slowly lifted his head.

Bright blue eyes stared back at Keenan. Eyes that had seen everything the world had to offer—and found it lacking. Azrael had never been impressed with the humans and their lives.

Azrael. Az. Heaven’s big gun was down on earth—not good.

Az’s face was cold and hard. No emotion appeared on that stony visage. There was never any emotion from their kind.

The truck finally stopped less than two feet from Az. His wings stretched behind him as he straightened fully.

“Keenan!” Nicole grabbed his arm. “What’s happening? Why are we stopping?”

He knew she wouldn’t see the angel. Couldn’t. Not unless she was close to death. “We have company.” He didn’t take his gaze off the road. “Angel.”

“Those guys sure seem to drop in a lot.” The words were light, but her nails dug into him, and the hard rasp of her breath filled the car.

“More than they should,” he agreed darkly as his hand grabbed the door handle.

But she didn’t let go of him. Her hold tightened. “What kind of angel?” Fear had trickled into her words. Smart woman. Angels weren’t always the good guys, not even close. No matter what the stories said, they could spill just as much blood as demons any day of the week.

He didn’t want to tell her this but ... “He’s a death angel.” It was the wings that always gave them away. Guardians had white wings. Only death angels and Punish-ers had wings of black because they dealt in despair.

He killed the engine and glanced at Nicole. Her narrowed eyes were on the road as she fought to see what she couldn’t. His stare followed hers. Az stared straight at the truck. No, he straight at Nicole, and there was no mistaking the intent in the angel’s eyes.

No.

Keenan jumped out of the truck. He raced for his old mentor. “Stay away from her!” He yelled.

Az didn’t move. Not much had ever moved Azrael. Not pity. Not fear.

No emotion. Ever. He was the perfect death angel.

While Keenan knew he’d been ... lacking.

“I didn’t think you’d find your charge so quickly,” Az said, cocking his head slowly to the side. His voice was a strong rumble that filled the night.

Keenan tossed a fast glance over his shoulder. Nicole had started to edge out of the truck. “Stay back there!” He barked. “Don’t let him touch you!”

One touch was all that death needed. Since Nicole couldn’t see Az coming, she’d be helpless against that simple touch.

Keenan put his body between Az and Nicole. He didn’t want the guy so much as looking at her. “What are you doing here?”

Az blinked. “You know why I’m here.” He shrugged. “You know why I’m always here.”

“Death.” It’s what they were. All they knew.

“Relax. Just because I’m here, it doesn’t mean she’s dying tonight.”

“No, she’s not.”

Az gazed at him with those glittering eyes. “But a soul will pass soon.”

Nicole’s soul. Fury had him stepping closer to Az. “Why?”

“The job was never finished.” Said simply. Az wore clothes any mortal would possess—jeans, a white shirt. He could have passed for a human ... if those giant black wings hadn’t been bursting right through the back of his conjured shirt. An angel could always conjure any clothing to fit over his wings.

“The job is over,” Keenan told him as he braced his body for attack.

Az didn’t move. “You know she’s marked for death.”

Keenan shook his head. “No. She lived that night. Fate changed.” He’d made it change.

“It’s not that easy, and you know it. You can’t just switch one soul for another. That’s not the way it works.”

“I didn’t fall ...” Just to lose her.

Az watched him in silence. Then, after a moment, Az told him, “Her name’s in the book.”

Az’s famous book. Once a scroll, now a Who’s Who List of the To-Be-Dead. The book included the names of both those deemed blessed and those deemed damned.

Once the name was in the book, there was no going back. So the stories said.

“How long does she have?” Keenan asked, voice rough. If her name had just come up, she’d have forty days. After forty days, the soul had to be taken from the charge’s body.

Only he hadn’t taken her soul before.

And it won’t be taken now.

“Ten days.”

What?

“Maybe less.” Az shrugged. “I truly thought it would take you longer to find her.”

“You mean you wanted her to already be dead before I found her.”

“She is dead.” Az raised his hand and pointed behind Keenan. “She’s already marked. Her fate was sealed. There’s no changing it.”

“Bullshit.”

Az’s brows rose at that. No, he wouldn’t be used to one of his soldiers cursing.

Bullshit. One of Nicole’s favorite words. Nicole. She’d hear everything he said, but no word that Az spoke. “Fate changed before, it can change again.”