What could she say? “Keenan …”
“I wanted more than that.”
Seemed only fair.
“Humans had more. Even the Other had more—and they were supposed to be the mistakes.”
Was that what she was now?
“Angels were created for a purpose. To protect. To guide. But not to feel.” His fist fell. “No sorrow. No pain. And no happiness either. Just … duty. Just … nothing.”
He stepped toward her. “I wanted more,” he said again. “I didn’t even realize it at first, but with every soul, I just—wanted more.”
Wanting. Didn’t he realize that was a form of feeling? Maybe the other angels hadn’t felt any emotions, but he had, and they’d driven him to the edge.
No, they’d driven him to fall.
“With you, I decided to take more.” His fingers curled around her chin, and he tipped her head back. “Silk,” he whispered. “Smooth, soft, and warm.”
She realized he was talking about her skin.
He lowered his head and pressed a kiss against her lips. “Just as soft here, but the taste …” His eyelashes lowered. “A little sweet, and a hint of spice.”
Oh, he could seduce her so easily. Had, actually.
His knuckles slid down her neck. “And being inside you …” His lashes rose. “Pleasure.”
She licked her lips and wanted his mouth again.
“I was tempted, and I fell.” His knuckles were at her chest now, pushing against the edge of her bra. “Humans get to feel. They get to f**k. They get anything they want.”
Not always. Sometimes, they got nightmares they didn’t want.
“Try living with nothing for two thousand years, and then see just how hungry you are for everything.”
His mouth took hers in a hot, hard kiss that she met head-on. She knew about hunger, not just for blood, but for someone to hold you, to kiss you, to want you, no matter what.
Was she just a body for Keenan? Just a temptation? Maybe, but for her, he was becoming so much more.
A man who stayed with her through the good and bad. A man who didn’t care about the monster inside of her. He’d known her before, but didn’t judge her now.
She dropped the shirt. Her fingers lifted to wrap around his shoulders and hang on tight. The future wouldn’t, couldn’t matter. Now was all that mattered. Making a memory, having something to take with her when she went to the next life.
Hell.
Her mouth opened wider.
Then she heard the snarl and roar of engines. Motorcycle engines. Not too near. Not outside, not just yet.
But coming closer.
She held the kiss for a moment longer. Why hadn’t he just stayed away? I gave him a chance.
Vengeance.
Keenan lifted his mouth. “Nicole.” He breathed her name.
“Mike is coming for me.” She hadn’t wanted to kill.
“You knew he would.”
She just hadn’t expected him to find her so quickly. But a hunter like Mike would have connections, and probably eyes everywhere. “He’s coming while I’m weak.” She pressed her forehead against Keenan’s shoulder. His arms were around her and even though death was coming, she felt safe right there.
“He won’t touch you.”
Because she had, what, eight days left? Seven? Less? Az hadn’t actually said she had ten … less than ten. Angels might not lie, but she had the feeling they might not always tell the full truth, either. Angel semantics.
“I killed his brother.” Because Grim had thought Jeff was too much of a threat. The hunter had already taken out a dozen vamps. She’d been the bait to take down the big gun. “If I were him, I’d come after me, too.” But she didn’t want to kill Mike. Stop him from killing her, yes, but kill him?
I already have enough blood on my hands. Killing him won’t get me any forgiveness.
Like there was a chance of that happening.
Mike wasn’t coming alone. She heard the growls from the other bikes.
“They can’t beat us both,” Keenan said.
No. The humans would lose. They’d die. Because even though she was weak, Keenan wasn’t.
But it wasn’t his fight.
“They’re not hurting you,” he told her and edged away.
She bent and grabbed her shirt, yanking it on as he pulled up a pair of jeans. “I wanted him to walk away.”
He laughed at that. “And you really think you’re so different from the woman you were before the bite?” His blond head shook. “Sweet, a cold-blooded killer wouldn’t care, human or no.” He turned away. “I’ll take care of them.”