Avenging Angel (The Fallen #4)(40)

With those words, Tanner knew he was screwed.





When she heard the pounding on the apartment door, Marna tensed. Was that Tanner? Back already?

But why would he be knocking at his own place? The guy had a key.

Not Tanner.

She crept toward the door.

The pounding shook the wooden frame. “I know you’re in there!” A man’s voice shouted through that wood. “Now open the door!”

Definitely not Tanner. Her hands flattened on the door. She glanced through the small peephole. Saw a tall, blond man. Her heart began to race. Like she’d forget him anytime soon. It was pretty hard to forget the face of the cop who’d shot you.

Jonathan something. She couldn’t recall his last name, but she sure recognized Tanner’s partner.

As she stared at him in growing horror, he held up his gun and pointed it at the door. “Open up,” he said, “or I’ll just start shooting my way inside.”

She believed him.





Captain Pope marched back and forth in front of Tanner, anger tightening her small body. She’d been promoted just six months back, but she’d already gained a reputation for being one of the hardest ass-kickers in the New Orleans PD.

“You wanna tell me what the hell you were thinkin’?” she demanded, the South rolling hard in her words.

“I didn’t do it.” His conscience was clear on this one. “I didn’t hurt that kid cop.”

She scoffed. “You’re on the video. Big and bold as life.”

His jaw clenched. “How is he?” Because he was worried about the kid. The guy had just been trying to do his job. And for that, some SOB had tried to kill him.

No, not that. Tanner knew the killer had gone after the other cop deliberately. To pin the crime on me.

“Officer Paul Hodges is in intensive care,” the captain told him, and her voice was grim. As grim as her eyes. “Too many internal injuries to count. He’s spitting blood. Barely breathing.”

Hell.

“I don’t even know how he’s alive.” She turned away. Headed toward her small window and stared down at the street. “But he is alive. And he was able to ID you.”

“It’s a setup. I didn’t—”

“Do I look like a moron to you?” She tossed a glare over her shoulder. “Even on video, I can tell one of my own kind.” And as he watched, the captain’s green eyes faded to black.

Demon black.

Tanner didn’t move. But he did sure wish that his gun wasn’t locked in her desk drawer.

Not that he needed the gun to kill but . . .

“Whoever that * was, he didn’t count on another demon watching that video.” She ran a tired hand over the back of her neck and paced back toward him. “Hell, that’s even if he knew that he was being recorded at all. My guess is he just used the glamour to fool that poor SOB he sent to the ICU.”

Even more careful now, because Tanner wasn’t sure just how much he could trust his captain—if at all—he said in a disbelieving tone, “Demons?”

Her eyes were still pitch black. Every part of ’em. Sclera. Lens. A demon’s true eyes were always black—some said to match their souls.

Though Tanner didn’t believe that bullshit. His brother, Cody, was half-demon, and the guy wasn’t evil. Not even close.

Cody had been the only one to escape that particular family curse.

“Do I look like a freaking idiot to you, shifter?” the captain snapped.

He almost smiled. Would have, if he hadn’t been knee-deep in paranormal hell. “No, ma’am, you don’t.”

“Then let’s start shooting straight with each other, because if we don’t, there’s a roomful of cops out there I can toss your ass back to. Wanna see how fast they lock you up and throw away the key?”

Like any cage could hold him.





“Lady, don’t make me shoot you,” Jonathan told her, then paused and said, “again.”

Her eyes narrowed. Jerk.

“I watched the surveillance video from the patrol car. The techs on scene played it back, and I saw you. You were with Tanner when that cop questioned him.”

She’d worried that the officer might have seen her, but she’d never even thought about a camera in the squad car.

“I don’t have time for this crap.” The cop glanced over his shoulder, then back toward the door. Marna still had her eye pressed to the peephole. “I’m giving you to three, then I’m going to start firing. Once folks realize who you are, do you really think they’ll care that I emptied a few bullets into a killer?”

Wasn’t he a charmer?

“One.”

Marna whirled away from the door. If she let him in, wouldn’t he just shoot her then? Probably, so letting him in didn’t exactly make sense to her. The fire escape was right outside the balcony. She could get out that way.

“Two!” he shouted..

She shoved open the balcony doors. Hurried outside.

“Three!” He fired.

Fired?

So much for waiting.

Marna glanced back and saw him kick in the door. His bullet had taken out the lock, making it easier for him to bust inside. His gaze met hers. He had his gun up.