Avenging Angel (The Fallen #4)(65)

“No, you listen. I’m not one of your dumb criminals that you can chase down.” He shrugged, then lifted his hands in front of him. “I’m Sammael. All-f*cking-powerful Fallen. And I can kill you as soon as look at you.”

Marna’s heart stopped.

But then a woman’s hand, fingers tipped with a blood-red polish, slid over Sammael’s shoulder. “Easy. You know you wanted to visit with her again.”

And Marna’s heart started racing in a double-time beat. Sammael’s face softened as he turned to stare at the woman behind him. Marna knew who she was, of course; every angel knew.

Seline O’Shaw.

Seline O’Shaw had been in heaven, for a very brief time. Half succubus, half angel, Seline was now a legend in heavenly circles.

It had taken a little matter of dying for Seline’s angel side to come out and take over. Only once she’d entered heaven, Sammael hadn’t been ready to let her go. He’d fought everyone in his path, been willing to sacrifice his life—just to get back to her.

After that, everyone had known that the mighty Sammael had a weakness.

Her.

Seline stared at Marna with sad eyes. “I’m sorry about your wings. ”

Marna rolled her shoulders. After weeks of numbness, the scarring was actually starting to itch a bit. Weird. “And I’m sorry about . . .” What? The fact that Seline had chosen to come back to earth? To stay with a man who most angels thought was becoming a true devil? She cleared her throat and decided not to say anything.

Seline’s slightly wicked smile told Marna that she understood. “Let’s go inside,” Seline said, “so we can talk in private.”

“Beats standing around with our asses out in the open,” Tanner muttered, but he tossed Marna one more glance. His expression seemed to say, You okay with this?

She nodded and then followed him inside. The door closed behind them with a bang that made her jump. She glanced up and found that Sammael had moved to look at her.

Frowning, he said, “My dear lost angel, we aren’t the ones who jump. We’re the ones who make everyone else want to shit their pants.”

If only.

They walked down a long corridor. Music beat. Pulsed. They didn’t head out into the main section of the bar, but instead followed a twisting staircase upstairs. Marna glanced down. Saw all the bodies. The couples making out. Heat and lust seemed to pour from the people on the dance floor.

No wonder a succubus had been hiding there. It would have been the perfect place for Seline, before she’d changed.

Marna’s gaze tracked up a bit as she climbed the stairs. Wait . . . was that a golden cage, hanging from the ceiling?

“Want to give it a try?” Seline murmured.

Tanner growled. Marna didn’t speak because . . . maybe. There were two women in that suspended cage right then. Dancing. Gyrating their hips.

She bumped into Tanner’s back. He caught her hand and steadied her. His gaze searched hers. So bright. “Marna?”

She realized that he’d barely glanced at the dancing women or the throng below. And . . . his attention always seemed to be on her. On what she was doing and feeling. She wasn’t wildly sexy like the others there, certainly not like Seline who seemed to ooze sex appeal. When it came to sexy, no one beat an ex-succubus. They were made for sin.

But Tanner always looked at Marna like he could eat her alive.

It was nice. Hot.

They climbed the rest of the stairs in silence, then entered a room on the right. Tinted windows let them look down onto the dance floor, but Sammael assured them, “No one out there can see or hear anything that goes on in here.”

Good, and a little scary.

“I was wondering when you’d be coming by.” Sammael lowered his body onto a leather couch. Seline perched on the arm rest near him. “Especially since it looks like I’ll be having to kill your brother.”

Tanner lunged toward him, but Marna grabbed his arm as she fought to pull him back.

Sammael smiled.

“You won’t,” Tanner growled.

“If he keeps selling angel blood, I will.” One dark brow rose. “Do you know how many vamps I’ve killed in the last few weeks, all because those fools thought that they’d get a taste of my blood?” Then his eyes hardened. His hand came up, and his fingers curved around Seline’s leg. “Or hers?” Real rage burned in his eyes, and Marna realized she and Tanner were very lucky Sammael hadn’t already attacked.

Nothing could stop him when he went on a rampage. She’d seen his handiwork before. Had to clean up the bodies and collect the souls that had been left behind.

“He’s not selling any more blood.” Tanner’s hands had fisted. Were his claws coming out? The last thing she wanted was for him to battle Sammael.

“He’d better not.” A deadly promise. “I owe you and Cody because you helped Az.”

Just the mention of Az’s name stirred so many memories for Marna. She’d once been tasked with taking the soul of Az’s human mate. Like Sammael, he hadn’t been willing to give up the woman he loved. And when he’d refused . . .

That was when Marna had been attacked.

“Az and I both owe you,” Sammael said, only he was looking at her now.

Marna’s chin rose. “Cody won’t sell the blood again. And you’re right, you do owe us.” Her shoulders were straight, her muscles tense. She wouldn’t show him any more fear. “So I want you to pay that debt.”