“My brother is the one killing. Not me. I know because I remember what he’s done.”
It sure felt like someone kicked her in the gut right then. Keep him talking. ’Cause if he was talking, then he wasn’t killing her.
She didn’t take Az for a multitasker.
She also didn’t take Sam for the killer on this one. “I’ve been with Sam, and he hasn’t been killing anyone.”
“Have you been with him every moment?”
No, not every but—
“He’s slaughtered before. That’s what I remembered first. He killed so many.” Az’s hand fisted. “I have to stop him. You can help me.”
Help the guy kill Sam. Right.
“Anything—I’ll give you anything if you help me.”
So that was why he’d been following her. He thought she’d be the perfect tool to help eliminate Sam.
Hmm. Anything from a powerful Fallen. Tempting.
But, no. “Sorry, bud, I’m not—”
For sale.
Her words were drowned out by Sam’s roar. Jeez. Freaking finally.
Then she saw Sam racing toward the broken door. Sam—and his blood-soaked chest. What the hell? He’d been shot, over and over again.
Not thunder. The sound that she’d heard had been gunshots.
And he’d still come back for her. Now that was impressive. Damn straight she wasn’t going to turn on him.
“Get away from her,” Sam snarled as he advanced on them.
“I’m not here to hurt her,” Az said, rolling his shoulders. “I am just here to send you to hell.”
Sam smiled, and it wasn’t a pretty sight.
Where do you want to be when two Fallens go at it?
Not there. Seline tried to inch toward the open window. She figured Sam would have this. He’d better.
She’d just reached out to touch the windowpane when the room exploded.
Rogziel smiled when room 12 blew up. The explosives had been so carefully placed after Tomas had been contained. The devices had been hidden well, and activated with just a press of a button.
Humans could be very useful and so clever with their toys.
He knew the blast wouldn’t kill the Fallen. Just as he knew that the bullets his man had fired into Sam’s body wouldn’t slow the guy down for long.
Not long, just a few precious moments. That slowdown, that weakness was just what he needed.
Time to take out two sinners.
The smoke billowed, and Rogziel stalked toward the motel. The only humans around worked for him. His team—one that he’d ordered to seek cover in the nearby woods. All the innocents were gone.
Suffer, sinners, suffer.
The blast had blown Sam out of the motel room. He lay in the parking lot, some of his flesh torn away. His clothes burned as he pushed himself to his feet. He stared at the wreckage and screamed, “Seline!”
Interesting. Another way to punish.
Rogziel flew forward. “She won’t walk away from that.” Not weak Seline.
Sam’s head whipped toward him. The smoke and fire had covered Rogziel’s scent, just as he’d planned, and Sam hadn’t even been aware that the true threat was so close. Rogziel saw the fury in the Fallen’s eyes, and he said, “She won’t walk away, and neither will you.”
“Fuck you!” Sam tossed a ball of fire his way.
The ball withered to smoke before it could touch Rogziel’s skin.
He expected another attack. Instead, Sam whirled and rushed back toward that burning building.
Rogziel frowned. The Fallen thought to save someone? Now that was surprising. He hadn’t anticipated this sacrifice.
Pity it was too late for Sam to atone.
Before Sam could rush straight into the flames, Az appeared in the smoke. His arms cradled a too-still Seline.
How perfect. He should have known that Azrael would kill her.
Sam roared and lunged for his brother.
The Fallen didn’t understand that rage made them weak, even as it made his little pet hungry. The beast was close now. Just minutes away. Soon it would burst free and feed.
Seline coughed.
Rogziel stopped smiling.
The smoke was choking her, and the arms around her were way too tight. Seline blinked her streaming eyes. “Ease up, Sam. We’re out, it’s—”
Sam wasn’t holding her. Someone was yelling. Fire crackled, and Az held her in his arms.
“You’re safe,” he whispered, and she realized that his clothes were smoldering.
In the next instant, she wasn’t in his arms any longer. Sam had her. Yeah, thanks for the too-late rescue. Sam shoved her behind his body. “Run,” he ordered as he faced off against Az.