Undead Or Alive (Bad Things #3)(47)

“No.” Luke shot into the air, hovering just out of reach, Amber still tight in his embrace. “I wanted to find her for a reason. That reason still stands.”

“Cass!” Amber yelled.

“She isn’t for you,” Leo said.

You aren’t good enough for her. He knew exactly what the bastard meant.

“Until we meet again, Reaper,” Luke called.

Until they—f*ck, no! “Amber!”

But it was too late. Luke had flown away into the night, taking Amber with him. Taking the one person who f*cking mattered. Cass started running after them. He shot through the trees, ran down the highway, rushed and rushed and—

I can’t see them.

Leo appeared in front of him—his dark and scaly wings stretching behind his body. “Pity you don’t have wings of your own,” he murmured.

Cass was so f*cking not in the mood for any more shit. He pulled back his gloved hand and slammed it into the side of Leo’s jaw. Leo’s head whipped to the right and then he went crashing to the ground.

“You’ve got wings,” Cass blasted right back at him. “Take me to her.”

Leo rubbed his jaw. He seemed stunned that Cass had been able to hurt him. Leo’s brows rose as he stared up at Cass. “You’re stronger than I realized.”

“Take me to her.” Pain clawed at him.

I love Cass. She loved him and he wasn’t letting her go.

“Are you stronger than me?” Leo rose to his feet and stared at Cass with something close to wonder in his eyes. “Stronger than Luke? I mean, I didn’t believe the stories but I think…you may be able to kill us!”

Cass grabbed the crazy jerk’s shoulders and hauled him close. “Don’t test me.”

But Leo laughed. “I see it—you want her, don’t you? Death needs Amber…She’s good and she’s bad and you’re obsessed with her.”

“I’m not obsessed. I love her.”

That stopped Leo’s laughter. Cass could practically see the wheels spinning in the guy’s mind.

“You’re strong,” Leo mused. “Strong enough to protect her…”

“Always.” He would never let her down again.

“Strong enough to take her from Luke…?”

“Let’s find out. Use those damn wings of yours and get us to them.” Then he realized he had a bargaining chip. Cass still had that f*cking Blade of Truth. He’d strapped it to his ankle—hell, he didn’t even remember when he’d done that. But he bent and yanked that knife from the sheath. Amber’s bracelet tumbled to the ground when he pulled out the knife. I remember grabbing that for her, hiding it…wanting to give it back to her.

“What do you have there?” Leo’s voice was cautious.

Cass tucked Amber’s bracelet—the bracelet that Luke had given him to start the hunt—into his pocket. He lifted the knife toward Leo. “The Blade of Truth. Figure it has to be worth something, right? Take me to Amber, and it’s yours.”

Leo’s eyes gleamed. “Give me the knife first.”

Fuck, he had to trust him, but… “Betray me, and you’ll feel the scythe take your throat.”

“Doubt it. I don’t think you would want to hurt Amber. And killing her brother…it would hurt her.” He took the knife, and it vanished instantly. Then Leo stared at him with a hooded gaze. “Even with the knife, you’ll still owe me.” Leo gazed straight in Cass’s eyes. “If you remember…I have a certain angel who is missing. I may need to call in your services regarding that particular situation.”

“Get me to Amber, and yes, I will f*cking owe you.”

Leo grabbed him. “Done.”

They flew into the air.





Chapter Sixteen


“Luke, you bastard, let me go now!” Amber screamed.

And…he did.

They dropped to the ground. She stumbled a few feet back from him and realized they were at his island. They’d flown for what felt like for-freaking-ever, and now she saw why—the guy had taken her all the way down to the Florida Keys. They were on the balcony at his house.

“I’m not going to hurt you.” Luke had his hands behind his back. “Just…give me a minute, would you?”

She would give him—

A woman walked out onto the balcony. A woman with dark hair and sky blue eyes. A woman who was holding a very, very large black box.

“Mina, my love,” Luke called as he held out his hand to her. “Your timing is perfect.”

Mina gave a light, oddly musical laugh. “Well, I did see you fly in, so I figured that was my cue.” She pressed a kiss to Luke’s cheek as he took the box from her. Then Mina’s stare slid to Amber. She looked curious and nervous. “Hi,” Mina said, tucking a lock of her hair behind her ear. “Luke’s…he’s told me about you.”

Amber’s gaze swept over the other woman. “You’re the one mated to him.”

Mina laughed again—this time, the sound was more nervous than musical. “I’m the one in love with him.”

So that story was true. “Does he love you?”

“He does,” Luke answered. He moved to stand in front of Mina, the box still gripped in his hands. It was a massive box—easily two feet wide and three feet long. “Though I have to confess—after you left, after you lost your wings for me—I didn’t think I’d ever be able to love anyone.” His shoulders sagged a bit. This was the Luke she remembered—the Luke that she’d often felt as if only she knew. The real man. “I loved you, and I hurt you. I only seemed to hurt the people I care about.”