Avenging Angel (The Fallen #4)(94)

He closed his eyes and drank. At first, the blood didn’t seem to do anything to him. Maybe he was already too far gone. He’d wanted to stay with her, wanted to be at her side forever, but maybe fate had other plans.

Fate had always screwed with him.

Marna pulled her hand away. Tanner licked his lips. He still tasted her, and now, he could almost feel her, inside his mind. A warmth spread within him and filled him with energy and strength.

Deep within him, the panther seemed to stretch and roar.

Alive.

Tanner opened his eyes. “I’m . . . not leaving you.”

Her smile was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. “No, you’re damn well not.” Then she bent toward him and her lips feathered over his cheek.

Cody and Riley eased their grips and pulled away from him. Over Marna’s shoulder, Tanner saw Bastion. Waiting. Watching. His dark wings curled toward his body. His eyes flickered with emotion.

Was he going to have to fight the angel now? He’d killed one jerk-off already. What else was he gonna have to do?

Tanner rose, but kept a strong grip on Marna. He was naked because of his shift, but that was the least of his worries right then. They’d cheated death, for the moment, and that was what mattered.

“Nice trick, shifter,” Bastion said.

Riley flinched. “I need to get the hell out of here.”

“I didn’t realize beasts were so adept at healing.” Bastion’s wings unfurled. “Guess there is more to you than killing.”

“And there’s more to you than death,” Marna said, her voice strong and certain. “There always has been more, Bastion. You aren’t like the others.”

The angel’s hands were clenched into fists. “I was supposed to . . .” He swallowed and said, “You should have died today.”

And what would happen, Tanner wondered, once the angel went back upstairs without his charge?

But Bastion lifted his chin and smiled. “I’ve heard the fall is one wild bitch of a ride.”

Wait . . . had the guy just said—?

“I didn’t want you to fall for me,” Marna told him. Yeah, well, Tanner sure as shit didn’t want that either. Blondie, earthbound? Dogging their steps? Spilling over with emotion?

“Not for you.” Bastion shook his head and straightened his shoulders. “For me. Because maybe I want to know just what it is that humans feel.”

Lust. Fury. Need. Love.

“Find me when I fall,” Bastion said. His gaze darted between Marna and Tanner. “Help me, and any debt you owe me is paid.”

A debt for not taking a soul? Yeah, they’d find the guy all right.

And then Tanner would make sure the Fallen kept his hands off Marna.

A strong wind ripped through the room, sending them all stumbling back. All but Bastion. He rose up, tossed by the wind. The air around him grew dark.

“See you soon,” Bastion whispered as the wind grew even stronger and howled with its own fury.

Then he vanished.

“Holy f*ck,” Riley whispered. “Is he really gonna fall?”

Marna’s face tightened with sadness. “Yes.”

Because he hadn’t taken Marna’s soul? Or because he didn’t take mine?

Either way, Blondie would be earthbound soon.

Cody strode toward them. He glared at Tanner an instant, then hauled him close in a back-breaking hug. “Bastard. You weren’t supposed to use that fancy-ass light trick anymore.” Then he eased back and gazed steadily at Tanner. “But for her, you’d do any damn thing, wouldn’t you?”

Fight. Lie. Kill.

Die.

Tanner nodded.

Cody released him and grabbed Marna. He hugged her just as tightly. “Welcome to the f*cked-up family,” he whispered against her ear, though Tanner’s shifter hearing easily picked up his words. “I promise, from now on, things will be different. Better.”

Could they be any worse?

Then Cody released her. “We’re not just our father’s sons.”

No. Not even close. Tanner couldn’t even feel the echo of that old bastard anymore. He really was gone now. Rotting in the ground. Burning in hell. Either way, he was gone.

“We’re more,” Tanner said, nodding, but his gaze was on Marna. He’d prove to her that he could be more than a killer.

But first . . . first he was getting her out of that place. Away from the dead body on the floor. Away from the blood and the memories and the fear.

Someone must have heard all the gunshots and howling. The cops would be coming. And since he wasn’t exactly on good terms with his brothers and sisters in blue . . .

Time to leave.

Tanner lifted his hand to Marna. Without any hesitation, she wound her fingers through his. Marna’s gaze didn’t drop to Jonathan’s dead body as they left the trashed room. Tanner’s did. In death, Jonathan didn’t look so violent or twisted. But then, most of the time, he hadn’t looked that way in life, either. Not until the end.

The end . . .

It could have been me dead on the floor.

“But it f*cking wasn’t,” Tanner growled, and his hold tightened on Marna. They walked out together and left death exactly where he belonged—behind them.





Tanner wasn’t sure what he’d find waiting back at his place. Half a dozen cop cars, maybe a SWAT team? All gunning for him. Because he was the hunted now, right? The cop who’d gone bad and taken out his captain.