Deeper, harder. Her nails raked him. She licked his throat, and his c**k jerked inside her.
Then he felt the ripples of her release, the hard squeeze of her sex around him as she came.
He exploded inside of her. Keenan’s body stiffened, and the drumming of his heartbeat echoed in his ears as he climaxed. And as he came, she tilted back her head and stared up at him.
Dark, dark eyes …
His right hand curled around her chin, and his lips pressed against hers.
Pleasure hummed through him, so much pleasure, but at that simple touch of lips—such a light touch—he saw …
Death.
The vision came to him, as had a thousand others over the years. Death angels always had a vision of their charges’ last moment … the better to know when to give the touch.
This time, he once again saw his charge’s death. Her death.
Nicole lay in a pool of blood. A wooden stake pierced her chest. Blood trickled from her lips. “It’s … okay …” Her voice was broken, just like her body.
And he was there. His fingers closed around the stake as she tried to pull it out.
“This time you can’t save her.”
He spun and saw Az.
“No one can save her.”
“Keenan?” Nicole squeezed his shoulders. “Keenan, are you okay?”
The vision vanished. It was just him and Nicole again. In bed. In each other’s arms.
He forced a smile to his lips.
But she shook her head. “What happened? You left me …”
“No.” Said instantly. “I won’t.” Az was wrong. The vision was wrong.
But the visions were never wrong. And Az couldn’t lie.
He shoved back the fear and fury as he pulled Nicole down onto the bed and held her tight. Her heart raced beneath his hands, the beat reassuring him. For now, she lived.
He just had to make sure she stayed alive. In order for her to keep living, he’d have to fight the angels.
His gaze drifted around the room. No telltale scent of flowers teased his nose, but that vision had come from somewhere. Since he’d fallen, he shouldn’t see the images anymore. If he couldn’t see them on his own, then that meant someone had sent that death picture to him. Someone who was one serious ass**le.
Az.
Keenan’s stare centered on the ceiling. Want to play rough, Az? Then let’s play, angel. Let’s play.
When Nicole opened her eyes, Keenan was gone. She blinked, rose quickly, and pulled the sheet with her. “Keenan?”
“We don’t have much time.”
His voice came from the darkness on the left. Night had fallen, once more cloaking the house in its shadows. Nicole turned her head and found him unerringly. Sometimes vampire vision could be a good thing. “Wh-what do you mean?”
“You’re going to die.”
Not what a woman wanted to hear moments after rising. She licked her lips. “The sex was good,” she told him quietly. Way better than good. More, please. “But we’ve really got to work on your pillow talk.”
He pounced. No other word for it. He caught her arms and pulled her against him. “I’m not making a joke here. You’re going to die. I saw it.”
Goose bumps rose on her arms.
“Death angels always see the end coming for their charges. We know exactly what it will look like.”
“I-I didn’t think you had those powers anymore.”
She saw the sad twist of his lips. “Not sure it is my power.”
That didn’t sound good. She stared at his face, that perfect, sculpted face, and saw the rage lurking in the tightness near his mouth and the darkness of his gaze. “I don’t understand.” And she didn’t. There was still so much about this Other world that she didn’t know.
“Az is jerking me around. He sent the image because he wants me to know what’s coming.”
My death. She had to swallow to ease the lump in her throat. “Maybe there’s no escaping what will come.” She’d tried. Twice. But if death was just going to keep coming after her …
“You got out of that alley.” His fingers tightened on her.
Yes. Part of her had gotten out.
“Nothing is written in stone. Humans have choices, and now, so do angels. Az can take his f**king rules and screw off.”
Not very angel-like. But then, angels weren’t exactly cute little cherubs carrying harps.
They were big, dangerous men who could burn an enemy to dust with a thought.
“Get dressed.” His hands dropped. “We’re going back to the Quarter.”