Free Vengeance: The Niteclif Evolutions, Book 3 by Denise Tompkins Page A

hair, dropped it into a glass dish and massaged his scalp. “It was like I couldn’t think reasonably for a moment.”
    The panic in my chest thawed a bit.  
    “I don’t distrust you, love.” He pulled me off the sofa table and settled me next to his side, dropping an arm over my shoulder as I snuggled into him.
    I was staring out the window when a light speared the night sky, fast and blinding. Footsteps pounding up the stairs sounded just before the library door crashed in.  
    Micah, pale and sweating, had found a pair of Hellion’s jeans. “The Dominae,” he gasped. “They’re close.”
    Hellion surged off the sofa. “Where?”
    “Zadkiel’s call just went out. He’s in trouble.”  
    “Where is he?” Hellion demanded.
    I was already up and moving. “A light just shot up that way. Didn’t you see it?”
    Hellion shook his head but followed me from the room. “Wasn’t looking. You’re armed?”
    “No.” I looked back to find him turning back to the safe in the library.  
    He retrieved a Colt 1911 like the one I’d been practicing with. “Take this.”
    I palmed the familiar weight and we started down the steps. “Bahlin!” I shouted. I’d have to kill him later. His dragon might come in handy if there was a fight.
    He came out of the downstairs sitting room. “Yeah?”
    “Trouble. C’mon.” I jogged to the front door. “Probably fastest to cross through the neighborhood.”
    “We can fly.” Bahlin looked at me with speculation, clearly judging whether or not I was a threat since I was armed.
    “Fine. Outside.”  
    Bahlin shucked his clothes without even blinking and began to shift as he cleared the doorway, his cloaking ability hiding him from any peering eyes.  
    “You’ll need to stick close if you want him to keep you inside the spectrum of invisibility he creates.” I felt my way along Bahlin’s side. An unfamiliar ache settled in my throat as I remembered my last ride with him. Shaking it off, I used his elbow to scramble up.  
    Hellion followed, snugging in close.
    “To the east, maybe three blocks.” I stroked his neck. “Hurry.”
    Bahlin’s wings unfurled and we were air-born between heartbeats. His tail whipped the tops of trees as we rose. Sweeping back and forth, he kept an eye on the ground and generally ignored us.
    “Never thought he’d impress me,” Hellion muttered.
    Bahlin snorted.
    “Nothing like it.” I leaned forward, every hair on my body standing on end. “There.”
    Banking hard, Bahlin dropped like a stone. His wings beat furiously, stirring up the detritus of the alleyway where the confrontation had broken down to the most fundamental form of conflict—life or death.
    I leapt from Bahlin’s back before he’d completely landed and sprinted toward the fight. Hellion’s curse was inconsequential. He’d be behind me with Bahlin backing us both up.  
    The Dominae had the fallen angel, Zadkiel, down and was beating him senseless. Every time he tried to rise, the Dominae would deliver another punishing blow that drove him back to the ground. A vicious kick to the jaw had Zadkiel spitting blood and broken teeth.
    “Hey,” I shouted, leveling the gun at the Dominae.
    He turned with exaggerated care, a slow blink preceding his wide grin. “Madeline Niteclif. Agares said to expect you.” The demon was nearly as wickedly attractive as Agares. Nearly.
    Zadkiel was doing his best to drag himself away.  
    The Dominae turned back and, from nowhere, pulled a sword.
    “Don’t,” I ordered, squeezing the grip and disengaging the safety.
    “Mind’s already made up.” He kicked Zadkiel hard enough to flip him over and ran the sword through his thigh, effectively pinning him to the ground.
    The Nephilim cried out, raising violently shaking hands to the wound.
    I shot the Dominae in the back of the head.
    Blood and brain and bone exploded from his forehead. He collapsed in a near boneless heap next to the pinned Nephilim, his fingers spasming.