“She was sent to watch over Vincent Dupre. To help guide and protect him.” Bastion’s lips twisted in what would have been disgust, if he’d been human. If he’d been plagued by emotions.

Of course, he wasn’t. So the angel pretended.

“She traded heaven for a chance to redeem him. Lailyn thought she could save him, by staying by his side and offering him a life with her.”

“But some people just can’t be saved.” Az spoke the truth that all the angels should already know. Even those blinded by the human emotions. Guardians were the ones tempted the most by those emotions. They were around the humans so much, it was easy for them to be tempted . . . to want what was right in front of them.

So close, but so far from what they were meant to have.

“I saw what he did,” Bastion said. “When he drove his claws into her chest and cut out her heart, I was there, watching, and I could do nothing to help her.” His gaze fell to Tanner’s hands, no, to Tanner’s sharp claws. “All animals know is violence and pain.”

Slowly, Tanner’s arms fell away from Marna. His claws didn’t recede. But they also didn’t so much as scratch her delicate skin.

Bastion took Marna’s hand. “I’ll keep you safe,” he promised her. “Until this is over . . . then we’ll figure something out.”

She nodded, but Az wondered if Bastion could see the doubt in her eyes. But in the next moment, Bastion pulled her close against his chest. His wings began to wrap around her.

“I’m not like him.” The words seemed torn from Tanner.

Marna glanced back at him. Her lips trembled.

Then she and Bastion vanished.

Brandt stared at the line of humans waiting to gain entrance into the club. They were so stupid. Sheep, offering themselves to the monsters who were hungry for a bite.

He’d assembled his pack. A dozen strong shifters waited behind him, ready to attack on his order.

Jade was in that building. In that club with the desperate, avid humans. He could still smell her blood. Her wound hadn’t closed completely, not yet.

You should never have hurt her.

Whenever Brandt closed his eyes, he saw the image of his claws sinking into her chest, again and again. It was an image that haunted him.

Because I saw the old bastard do the same thing to my mother.

He’d been three, and she’d smiled at him even as the blood trickled from her lips.

I love you. Her last words.

And his mother had died. Left him. Left him all alone with the sick f**k of a father who liked to torture him.

He’d been seven when his father had first used his claws to strip the skin from his back.

Not even old enough to shift, much less to heal from the wounds.

“You’ll be strong, boy, you’ll be stronger than them all. Take the pain. Don’t f**kin’ cry, don’t ever f**kin’ cry.”

He hadn’t. Not since his mother’s eyes had closed. He’d cried then.

The torment from his father had been never-ending. The alpha had ruled the pack with an iron fist, and Brandt—he’d been like a whipped dog. Too afraid to move, to strike back in any way.

But Jade struck for me.

She’d killed the alpha. Given Brandt freedom.

Now Brandt wanted to give her everything. Why, why wouldn’t she let him?

He’d never meant to hurt her. Those chest wounds had been the angel’s fault, too. He hadn’t realized it in the heat of the moment, but Brandt was now sure that Azrael had deliberately used Jade as a shield to protect himself.

The angel had sacrificed her.

Now he’d hurt her again.

Azrael deserved hell, and Brandt would be the one to give it to him.

But first, he’d have to kill a few humans.

Because they were in his way.

“Someone has been visiting Mateo,” Sam murmured as he gazed at the spot where Bastion had been moments before. “I’d recognize that get-me-the-fuck-out-of-here spell anywhere.”

Az grunted. “Mateo sold me out to Bastion when we paid the witch a visit today. Mateo gave Jade to him. And she nearly died.” The thought still had his gut clenching in remembered fear and fury.

“Really?” Sam sounded mildly curious. “Mateo doesn’t usually work with angels. He finds them . . . annoyingly dull.”

“I guess if the price is right, he’ll work with anyone.” Az pulled out his gun and began to load in the bullets. The gold veneer on the bullets seemed to shine. From magic? Or hellfire?

Tanner whistled as he came closer for a better look at the bullets. “You actually got them.”