“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 fuck,” 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 fucked-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 fucking 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.
But . . . the street was empty.
He parked the patrol car and turned to stare at Marna. “We’re gonna need to leave town.” Because the cops would come for him, sooner or later.
She just smiled and looked so beautiful she made his heart hurt. “I’d like to see the rest of the world. When you’re out ferrying souls, there’s not much time for sightseeing.”
No. He, ah, bet there wasn’t.
The door squeaked as she opened it and hurried toward the porch. Tanner pushed open his door, and when the wind blew toward him, he immediately caught the scent of the intruder. They weren’t alone after all.
Not so empty.
“Marna!” She was on the steps now.
His warning had come too late. Sammael strolled out. He quirked a brow and put his hands on his hips. “Took you long enough to come home, shifter.”
Tanner bounded up the steps. “What the hell are you doing in my house?”
“Waiting.” Said so casually. “You didn’t really expect me to sit outside, did you?”
What? Did the Fallen think he was some kind of damn celebrity? “Why. Are. You. Here?”
Sam lifted his brows. “So you can say thank you?”
Tanner lunged for the guy. Marna grabbed his arms and held him back. “Easy.” Her breath whispered against him as she turned to face Sammael. “We found the killer on our own. So if that’s what you were coming to tell us—”
“And where is Jonathan Pardue now?”
Tanner’s whole body tightened. How long had the Fallen known Jonathan was the guy gunning for them? That hard stare of Sam’s gave nothing away.
Probably the whole time.
“He’s dead.”
“Yes, well, I always say, a death job is always done best when it’s done by your own hands.” He offered a faint smile. A smug one. “Right, shifter? Don’t you feel better knowing that
you
sent the guy to hell?”
Like he needed to be taught some kind of life lesson by Sam. “Marna could have been the one to die.”
“I was on Bastion’s list,” she said, anger humming in her voice.
But Sam just shrugged. “He’s always been half in love with you. He never would have taken your soul.”
Tanner rushed away from Marna. He grabbed Sam around the neck and shoved him against the wall of the house. “Listen, you cold bastard—”
Sam shook his head. “This isn’t the way to thank me.”
“Thank you?” Marna repeated, coming closer. “You haven’t done anything!”
Sam shoved back against Tanner. Because he was trying—
trying—
to hold on to his control, Tanner eased back a few feet. He caught Marna’s hand. Rubbed his fingers over her knuckles and took a steadying breath.
Don’t kick angel ass. Not yet.
“I’ve done plenty.” Now Sam sounded, what? Insulted? Definitely. He glared at Marna and said, “I’m the one who made sure your pet wasn’t locked in a cage. Shifters do hate those cages, don’t they?” His knowing gaze drifted back to Tanner. “Something about the beasts they carry . . .”
Tanner growled at him.
Sam smiled. “Let’s just say that I made all the trouble with the law vanish for you. You’re now cleared of the attack on that boy wonder cop. Cleared of all the shit with the captain. Hell, when you go back to work, they might even give you a medal.” He lifted his hands with an honest-to-God
voila
-type gesture. “What can I say? I am that good.”
“You’re full of shit,” Tanner said. “I’m not—”
“The chief of police is a demon, and a guy who owes me more than just his soul.” Sam dropped his hands. “All I had to do was explain a few facts to him. A little while ago, he took care of making all the evidence fit with the new version of the story.”
The chief of—well, he’d suspected that after meeting the guy a few times. Tanner rubbed his chin. “And the new version is . . . ?”
“Your captain was killed in the line of duty. She was tracking the real killer, one who’d been killing all over the city. You tried to save her, the same way you tried to save that kid cop—Hodges—but sometimes, well, death can’t be stopped.”
Sometimes, he could be.
“You took out the killer today, one rogue cop who’d crossed the line by attacking others on the force and manipulating evidence.” Sammael made a little
tsk, tsk
sound. “Sometimes, even the boys in blue can go bat-shit crazy like Jonathan.”
“And the video?” The one showing someone with his face attacking the injured cop?
“What video?” Sam asked, voice mild, then firmer. “There
is
no video.”
Right, he got the picture. Not anymore, there wasn’t any video.
Sam brushed past them and headed down the steps. “You still haven’t said thanks.”
He was back on the force. Not wanted. Not hunted. He could stay in New Orleans with Marna.
After
he took her on those sightseeing trips she wanted. Things wouldn’t always be perfect, and he was sure he’d have to smooth over more shit at the precinct to make sure all suspicion was gone, but . . . “Thank you.”
“That’s a start.” Sam didn’t look back. “It’ll take more before we’re even.”
With that guy, there was always a price.
Sam headed down the sidewalk. Then he paused, and glanced back at Marna. “You still can’t kill, can you?”
She stared back at him, then shook her head. “Not with the Touch.”
His brow furrowed.
“It’s not like the Touch would have worked on another angel anyway,” Marna said, her shoulders lifting and falling in a small roll, “but believe me, I
wanted
to kill.”
Sam’s gaze had become hooded. That gaze swept over Marna once, twice, and seemed to measure her.
Then his eyes widened. He glanced back at Tanner, and for an instant, Tanner thought the guy had pity in his stare. Now why the hell would Sam pity him? All was supposed to be freakin’ sunshine now.
“Some aren’t meant for death,” Sam murmured. “Some are meant for something much different.” His head cocked as he studied Marna again. “You never should have been a death angel. We all knew you hated carrying the souls.
Everybody
knew, but you did your duty for so long.”
“Not anymore,” Marna told him, and her fingers tightened around Tanner’s. “Now I’m free.”
Did Sam shake his head a little? Tanner’s gut clenched. That Fallen knew something he wasn’t saying. Something that already had Tanner’s whole body locking up as if he was about to take a blow.
But Sam pointed at Tanner and said, “Stay close to her.” His gaze drifted back to Marna. “Guard what you want the most.” Then he turned away. “Oh . . . and, by the way, I made sure every damn supernatural in this city knows that angel blood is off the menu. Permanently.” The words floated to them on a breeze. “And I only had to kill a few paranormals to get the point across.”
Just a few?
“Don’t worry, cop, they all had it coming.” Sam was at the edge of the sidewalk. There one moment, gone the next. Vanished, as if he’d never been there.
Guard what you want the most.
Tanner pulled Marna close to him. She actually wanted him, loved him—scars, claws, beast, and all. She’d been willing to risk her life for him.
He’d guard her for as long as he had breath.
Tanner bent his head toward her and brushed his lips against hers. He didn’t care about the rest of the world then. Right then, she was the only thing that mattered.
Not his job. Not the fears from the past.
Nothing but her.
Her tongue slid against his.
Only her.
By the time they made it inside, he was so hard for her that he ached. Tanner slammed the door closed behind them and lifted Marna into his arms. He rushed up the stairs with her, kissing her, loving her taste.
Nothing had ever tasted as good as her. Nothing ever would.
Sunlight drifted through the window, lighting up the room and the bed. He put her down gently and choked back his lust. This time, he wanted to show her care and control. Wanted to show her how much she meant to him.
He stepped away from her. Stripped. His shirt hit the floor. His boots and jeans vanished into a corner. Naked, he went back to her.
She smiled and stole his breath. Since when did an angel look so familiar with sin?
Marna pulled off her shirt. Tossed it to join his. “I want you so much, Tanner.” Her voice was husky with desire.
She slid out of her jeans and underwear. So perfect. He swallowed and stood back, almost afraid to touch her. His hands were too big. His body too rough.
Then she crooked her finger at him. “Come and get me.”
Death didn’t matter. Life did. She mattered.
And he’d most definitely
get
her.
He pulled her to the edge of the bed. Knelt on the floor. Parted her thighs. And put his mouth on her. Her moans filled his ears and made his cock twitch. Her flesh was so silken and pink, and she was slick with her arousal.
Love her taste.
He felt her first orgasm against his tongue. Heard the gasp of his name. A good start.
He pushed his fingers inside of her. Rose up so that he could stare down at her face. Her skin was flushed, and her eyes sparkled. Her breasts pointed toward him. Her nipples were tight peaks that seemed to beg for his mouth.
Another taste.
He took her breast into his mouth. Sucked. Licked. Let her feel the edge of his teeth.
The second time she came, her sex clenched around his fingers.
Good, but he wanted more.
His cock was heavy and hard when he positioned it between her legs. No protection, just flesh to flesh. His fingers twined with hers as he pushed her hands back against the mattress. Her hips arched up, and he leaned over the bed to better push his cock into her core.