Avenging Angel (The Fallen #4)(51)

“Bullshit,” Tanner called as he lunged forward with his claws out. “And you’re a disgrace to the PD.”

The cop scrambled away a few feet. The panthers had retreated to stand at her side. “I’m in the PD to protect my own kind. Same as you should be. You think I’m just gonna stand there and let the humans lock up demons?” Her hair slid over her shoulders as she shook her head. “Not on my watch.”

Marna’s flames had scorched the earth. The pulsing fire— that feeling of power that surged beneath her skin—it was starting to die away.

No, no, she couldn’t lose that power again!

Can’t be weak.

“You think these are the only two I brought with me?” Jillian put her hand on the head of one of the panthers. “I was hunting your brother. I knew he’d be the key to breaking you.”

Tanner’s only blood relative. The man he’d always protected. Yes, Marna knew he’d do anything for Cody.

Even trade me?

It was Marna’s turn to back up a step.

Tanner didn’t move. “I don’t know why you teamed up with these *s, but it was a bad move.”

Jillian shrugged. “They needed an alpha. I needed some fangs and claws to get the job done.”

Marna’s gaze searched the trees. She didn’t see anyone—anything—else out there. Was the cop bluffing?

“My men caught Cody’s scent, just the same as you did.” Jillian’s hand was still on the panther’s head. What? Did the lady think they were some kind of pets? Didn’t she know shifters would just as soon bite the hand that fed them? That they liked to bite that hand? But, calm as you please, Jillian continued, “Except they didn’t give up the chase once they heard an angel scream. My men kept going. They’ve got him now, and unless you want to be trying to sew the pieces of him back together, then you’ll step away from the angel.”

A bluff. Tanner wasn’t stepping away from her, and Marna knew that he had to realize—

He stiffened. “You bitch.” There was a dark mix of fury and hate in his voice. “I can smell his blood.”

Oh, no. That meant—no bluff.

Then Marna heard it. The sound of thrashing in the bushes. Grunts. Three men burst from the darkness. She recognized Cody’s bloody form instantly. But the others? She’d never seen them before, but with one look, she knew they were shifters. It was rather hard to miss those fangs and claws.

Cody was barely on his feet. Stumbling. Slashes covered most of body. “I didn’t . . . scream,” he managed to say.

No, he hadn’t screamed. She had. She’d screamed, and Tanner had come running to her side. And he’d left Cody alone in the dark.

“My kind have a weakness,” Jillian said with a tsk. “Some of us can’t handle our drugs, and some can’t handle the alcohol. One drunken night, your brother just had to run his mouth in Hell about the pretty little angel his brother was keeping so close.”

That pulse of power began to build within Marna once more. She could feel it, like a surge growing inside of her. If that surge got strong enough, she could blast at the shifters holding Cody. Free him.

One of the shifters sank his claws into Cody’s throat. “One move,” the shifter warned and his eyes were on Marna, “just one, and I rip his throat open.”

Cody moaned, trying to speak.

He couldn’t.

“You know I will, man,” the shifter continued with a grim smile. “Because you f*ckin’ know me.”

Marna hadn’t seen this shifter before, but was he also a part of Brandt’s old pack?

“I know you don’t want to screw with me right now,” Tanner said. “Because if you do, Russell, I’ll make you beg for death.”

Russell’s face tightened. “You always thought you were such a badass.” His claws drew more blood from Cody’s throat. “Who’s the f*ckin’ badass now?”

“You’ve made the wrong move here,” Tanner snarled.

Marna caught the sweet scent of flowers, and her shoulders stiffened. An angel was there. She hadn’t seen him—or her—yet, but a death angel was on the scene.

Some of them wouldn’t be leaving alive.

What would Tanner do if Cody was the one to die?

The one called Russell could kill Cody long before her fire reached the guy’s flesh.

“Step away from her, Chance. Give us the angel, and you”—Jillian pointed to Cody—“and your brother can both walk away.”

“I’m supposed to buy that?” His voice mocked her. Called her an idiot.

Jillian’s face tensed. “If you don’t, I’m killing him in five . . .” She held up her hand and continued counting. “Four . . .”

Tanner raced forward, but the two shifted panthers at Jillian’s side jumped for him. They met in a tangle of claws and teeth and fury and blood.

“Three . . .”

Jillian’s gaze wasn’t on Tanner. It was on Marna. “Wanna try some of that fire again?” Jillian asked. “Maybe you’ll have better luck this time. Then again, maybe you won’t.”

One of the panthers screamed in pain.

“Two . . .” Jillian inclined her head toward Russell and the guy smiled with sick glee.