He crossed slowly to her. His steps seemed to echo in the cavernous bar. “I won’t be dying.”
Her lip trembled. “You’d damn well better not.”
She cared. He could see that. She was the only woman who ever had.
His fingers, still bloody, brushed over her cheek. “You . . . you make me feel things that I shouldn’t.” The emotions seemed to rip him apart. The lust. The need.
But there was more.
He wanted to be by her side in the darkness. Wanted to hear her laugh. Jade didn’t laugh enough. Didn’t flash her real smile often enough to please him. How long had it been since he’d seen that wink of her dimple? Too long.
What would she look like when she was truly happy? Would her green eyes shine?
Would he ever find out?
“It’s your lucky day, Az.” Sam’s mocking voice jerked his gaze off Jade.
He saw his brother stride toward him from the direction of the back offices. Sam held a thin piece of paper between his thumb and forefinger. “Mateo’s in town.”
Tension tightened his body. Mateo wasn’t just a witch. He was a caller, the hybrid son of a crossroads spirit and a witch who’d wanted too much power. You had to be careful when you dealt with Mateo, because sometimes, the payment for his services was your life.
Az’s gaze slid to Jade. The last thing he wanted was for her to get too close to Mateo. If Sam had been curious about her powers, then Mateo would sure as hell be fascinated. And having Mateo fascinated wasn’t a good thing.
“Oh, no,” Jade said as she pointed at him with a bloody claw. “Just stop thinking it. You aren’t going to ditch me while you chase after this Mateo guy.”
“You don’t want to be on his radar,” Az told her. “Stay here. Sam can keep you safe.”
“So I’m baby demon sitting now?” Sam murmured. “How fun for me.”
He didn’t glance at his brother. He’d burned and bled for the guy back in Mexico, so he figured Sam still owed him.
“You aren’t leaving me behind.” Jade’s eyes narrowed. “We’re in this together, remember?”
But it was Sam who told her. “If you go with him, you’ll pay a price.”
“Fine.” She barely spared Sam a glance. “Then I’m ready to pay. Az is in this mess because of me. Because he was trying to save my life.”
One side of Sam’s mouth hitched into a smile. “Isn’t he the hero.”
“Yeah, he is—to me.”
Az blinked.
“And I’m staying by your side,” Jade continued, voice and face determined. “So deal with it. If either one of you tries to toss me in that stripper cage again . . .”
“Don’t knock it,” Sam advised.
“We’ll see just how much more fire I can throw.”
Sam scratched his nose. “You sound so fierce.”
Right. Like Sam would ever be afraid of a little fire. Or even a lot of fire. The guy had been willing to walk into hell in order to save his Seline. He’d actually begged to get into hell . . .
All for love.
Even Fallen Angels could be weakened.
“Go wash the blood away,” Sam advised him. “You can use the apartment upstairs. Then you and your . . . ah . . . lady friend . . . can meet Mateo. But you’d better hurry. When the sun sets, he’ll be gone, and the only way you’ll find him then is to call him at the crossroads.”
Not an option. Crossroads deals never worked out well for the fool who did the calling. Sure, the summoned spirit was duty-bound to grant the idiot’s wish, but after that wish was granted, then the spirit started twisting. You wish for wealth, you get it—but only because your wife dies in an explosion and you get insurance money. You wish to live forever . . . you do, but only because you’re lying comatose and can’t move as machines keep you alive indefinitely.
Making a deal with a crossroads spirit was as bad as making a deal with the devil.
But it wasn’t like they had a lot of options right then.
Az inclined his head. “Thank you.”
Sam’s eyes widened a bit.
Had he ever thanked his brother before? Thrown him out of heaven, yes, tried to kill him . . . yes.
But thanked him? No.
Az cleared his throat. “I owe you.” Az wanted to make sure Sam understood this. “I will find a way to pay my debt.”
A muscle flexed in Sam’s jaw. “You fought to save my Seline. As far as I’m concerned, we’re even.”
No, they weren’t.