Angel Betrayed (The Fallen 2)

Did it really matter?

He smiled and leapt into the air.

Sam didn’t take them back to New Orleans. Seline curled her body against his and held on. She didn’t know where they were going, but as long as they were putting those flames behind them, she wasn’t going to question him right then. So she held on, and the miles drifted past. The sun sank and the dark night sky covered them.

They stopped only long enough for gas and for Sam to make some phone calls. Probably alerting his men. And some guy called Keenan.

She fell asleep at some point. Her dreams were restless, filled with blood and fire, and when the motorcycle braked to a stop, Seline’s eyes flew open. “Wh-where are we?”

Darkness. Thick and total.

“Laredo.”

Wait. “Laredo? As in Laredo, Texas?”

He grunted. “We’ll sleep for a few hours, and then we’ll cross the border tomorrow.”

And hit Mexico.

She saw that there actually was a light up ahead. A small motel flashing a vacancy sign. Sam headed for that sign. She grabbed his arm and realized that her legs were seriously like jelly after that drive. “What’s in Mexico?” she demanded.

“More Fallen.”

Seline exhaled slowly. They wouldn’t be the only ones heading across the Border.

“But this time, we’re gonna get to the prey first,” Sam said.

He caught her arm and pulled her toward the motel. She hoped the guy was right because she was tired of getting to the party only to find that death was waiting.

The desk clerk barely glanced their way as he tossed them a key. At least he muttered, “honeymoon suite”—but she knew sarcasm when she heard it. She growled back at him and realized she probably looked like warm hell.

They headed back outside—all of the rooms were accessed from the outside. All twelve of them. They strode to the last room on the right. Sam opened the door.

“Honeymoon suite, my ass,” she muttered, glancing around. She was pretty sure that bed was the kind that did the shaking when a quarter was inserted. One sagging bed, a frayed chair, and—that was all.

But at least the place had a bathroom. She’d kill for a shower right then. The door hadn’t even shut behind them before she started to strip.

“Wait . . .”

She glanced over her shoulder.

He had a brow up, that one brow that he liked to lift when he studied her. “As much as I do enjoy it when your clothes come off, I think you’d better keep them on for now. We’ll be having company soon.”

Company, there?

His lips twisted, and it wasn’t a smile with a whole lot of warmth. “I’ve spent a lot of time in Mexico. A hell of a lot more than I have in New Orleans.”

But he’d been in the city almost constantly for weeks. She knew—she’d been watching him for most of that time.

“I have . . . a friend . . . who will be stopping by when word reaches him that I’m here.”

He had friends? Not just minions? Her hands were on the bottom of her shirt. She let the garment fall back over her stomach. “How will he know you’re here? If we’re only gonna be staying for a few hours . . .”

“The clerk was a charmer.”

She knew he wasn’t referring to the guy’s social skills. Charmers were Other who could psychically communicate with animals. Sort of like very amped-up snake charmers.

They could talk to gators, tigers, and heck, once she’d even met a guy who spent his nights talking to rats.

Of all the paranormals, charmers were usually her favorites. They didn’t sprout fangs and claws, so she considered that bonus points for them.

“Benny knows who I am,” Sam said, “so he’ll make sure only the right people realize I’m in town.”

Okay, well, the right people sounded better than the wrong ones. “So we don’t have to worry about folks gunning for you.”

His gaze hardened. “The Other in Mexico and along the border know better.”

She just bet they did. One touch, game over.

His lips tightened. “You know, I don’t always enjoy torture.” He strode toward her with slow, deliberate steps. “No matter what your boss may have told you.”

She wondered what had shown in her expression. She’d have to keep better guard of her emotions. “I don’t believe everything Rogziel told me.” Though he had told her some truths over the years. Her father had been a lying demon who’d murdered her mother. As for her mother, well, she’d been weak.

That’s what happens when you fall for the wrong man.

Seline knew she was staring up at a man who could be very, very wrong for her.

She cleared her throat. “Ah . . . what happens when your friend gets here?” she asked him as the air seemed to grow thicker between them.

He sighed softly. “You won’t like it.”

The kick in her gut told her this was gonna be bad. What else was new?

“Trust, that’s what I asked for, wasn’t it?”

She nodded, aware that her heart was racing too fast and that her palms had started to sweat.

“But you see, my people are dying. It’s not so easy to kill Fallen.”

“Az is—”

“Az isn’t a shifter.”

Uh, no.

“And Az isn’t the only one out there who’d like to punish the Fallen.”

As his words sank in, her jaw almost dropped. “Wait, hold on, you’re saying—”

“I’m saying your Rogziel could be doling out his punishment.”

“No, no, that last Fallen wasn’t even on his list!”

“Have you ever seen his list? This magic, mythical list that the punishers receive?”

No, she hadn’t. Seline shook her head.

“Before I take you to find more Fallen, before I let you get any closer to me . . .”

She was standing less than three inches from him. They’d had sex so intense she could still feel him inside her, and he was worried about her getting close now? Too late, buddy.

“. . . I’m afraid you’re going to have to pass a little test for me, Seline.”

She blinked and shook her head. “You’re bullshitting me.” It was one hell of a time for his warped sense of humor to show itself.

“No, I’m not.” His gaze held hers. “The clerk will have already summoned the man I need for this job. Benny knows that when I bring someone here with me, it’s because I want the test.”

More with the test. She’d always sucked at tests.