Angel of Darkness (The Fallen #1)(55)

“Well look what we have here ...” A booming voice called out.

A familiar voice.

That biker jerk from the bar.

Keenan didn’t move. He kept his hands on her, but his gaze was on the men closing in.

The biker. Shit. Nicole recognized the big, burly, bald biker from the club. About thirty, muscled, both arms tattooed. And he was heading right for them.

“Knew our fire would smoke you out.” He smiled. “Vamps can never handle fire worth a shit.”

Did everyone but her know the paranormal score in this world?

He pointed one leather-clad hand at Keenan. “I don’t got a fight with you. Take my advice, buddy. Go find another screw tonight.”

Her eyes slit. She needed blood badly right then, and that ass was begging for a bite.

“Watch what you say,” Keenan ordered, voice flat.

“Fuck you.”

Guess he wasn’t into watching his mouth.

Now the guy pointed at her. “I know what you are, bitch, and I know who you are.”

The more she stared at him, the more familiar he appeared to her. Something about the line of his jaw, the bulge of his nose ...

“Knew as soon as you walked into that club ...” The biker’s hands dropped, only to rise up half a second later gripping a stake. Definitely prepared. “I been carrying this in my pack since I buried Jeff.”

Oh, hell.

An image flashed in her mind. A big, burly guy with fists that had been thick and hard as he drove them into her face.

Then that body had fallen, sagged so quickly. When his head hit the cement, Jeff Quint’s eyes had been wide open, and so had his throat.

She grabbed Keenan’s arm and tried to shove him away. “I-I’ve got this. You go, I’ll meet you back at—” Our place. Had she really almost said that? She swallowed and forced a smile. “I’ll see you soon.”

But Keenan wasn’t moving. Not even an inch. “No way, sweet. I’m not leaving you alone to face—”

Laughter cut him off.

“You really think somebody like her needs protectin’?” That stake rose. “What she needs is a good killin’.” Mutters of agreement came from the men behind him. “Hell, even death’s too damn good for her. She needs to suffer.”

“Tell the bitch, Mike!” One of his buddies called out, and, of course, the buddy had a stake, too.

Not my night.

But then, she’d known this night would come for some time. A night of reckoning. They wanted her blood. It seemed only fair, considering she’d taken all of Jeff’s.

“I didn’t want to kill him.” She said the words without looking at Keenan. She couldn’t look at him then. Time he found out the truth. She stepped away from him and the alley wall and faced the vengeance that was coming.

“Right. You just tripped ...” Mike closed in on her. “And your teeth landed in his throat.” A snarl burst from his fat lips. “Jeff was my brother, the only f*ckin’ family I had. I knew vamps were after us, but I never expected a fresh-faced piece of ass like you ... guess he didn’t either.”

No.

She could feel Keenan’s stare on her. She glanced his way, just for an instant. “He doesn’t have anything to do with this.”

“Then he can damn well leave.” Mike grabbed her shoulder, his fingers digging deep. “But you’re only gettin’ out of this alley in pieces.”

The alley seemed to tremble. “Get your hand off her.” Keenan’s too-lethal voice.

But Mike only had eyes and bloodlust for her. “Jeff and me ... you know how many vamps we killed?”

No, but all the vamp slaying would explain why she’d been sent after Jeff Quint. He preys on us. Now we prey on him. Rip out his throat. Make him bleed. Make him beg. How long had those words played through her mind? Over and over, until her will was gone and all she could do when Jeff came at her that night was ... attack.

He hadn’t even had the chance to get out his stake.

Not like his big brother.

Mike didn’t take his hand off her. Those thick fingers just dug deeper as they seemed to squeeze right to the bone. Behind him, the guys—five of them, all big, leather-clad and with go-to-hell grins—began to close in.

“I gave you a chance to run,” Mike snapped at Keenan. “Last call, dumbass. You stand with the vamp bitch or you save your own ass and get the hell out of here.”

“Get out of here, Keenan,” she whispered. She was going to fight, but this wasn’t his fight. In case things didn’t go her way—the odds were a bit heavy in old Mike’s favor—she didn’t want Keenan paying for her crimes.

“I’m not going anywhere.” His gaze burned into Mike. “Get the hand off her, human, or lose it.”

She had the feeling he really, really meant those words. “Keenan ...”

But Mike didn’t drop his hold. He did bring up his stake, getting it too close to her heart for comfort.

Then Keenan shoved his hand against Mike’s chest. Mike flew back into the air and slammed into two of his biker buddies.

“You had your chance,” Keenan said. “Dumbass, you should have backed off while you could.”

Mike sprang back to his feet and attacked, with all his men running right behind him. Six against two. Not bad odds. Actually kind of good considering the bikers were human and— Keenan jumped in front of her, swinging out with his fist and sending two guys flying back. The men hit the walls of the alley and didn’t get up.