Redemption (A NOVEL OF THE SEVEN SIGNS) Read Online Free Page A

dancing, but with sharp objects. She whiplashed, and jumped, aiming a backhanded slash at his face. He thrust up a wing to block her strike, and grabbed her wrist, flinging her off her feet.
    Her skull cracked on the pavement. Groggy, she fought, but he straddled her, pinning her shoulders with his knees.
    Wildly, Rose kicked, but connected only with a cushion of feathers. He slammed her wrist into the concrete. Skin sizzled on bare skin. Her knife dropped from numb fingers, and smoothly he aimed his burning blue sword point at her throat. “Don’t talk and fight. It makes you careless.”
    Fuck! She wanted to scream in frustration. That had been way too easy. She’d been too confident.
    He was good, she’d give him that. He was breathing hard, and she couldn’t help noticing the bastard filled out his silver chest plate admirably. Blood stained his golden hair, and the big muscles in his arms gleamed with sweat. His shining feathers quivered taut with rage. His thighs strained inches from her nose—strong, hard-packed thighs, not one wasted curve—and as her gaze traveled upwards, treacherous heat rose in her belly. He hadn’t been bullshitting about the hard-on. She could smell him, heady, more chili espresso than angelstink, with a musky lash of hot male flesh. An impressive hunk of powerful masculine beauty.
    And what a stupid fucking thing to be dwelling on, when he was about to send her screaming to hell.
    Rose thrashed, and spat curses that blistered his fingers. She threw a spell, hellsmoke stinging, but he deflected it easily now that he was on his guard, and ash exploded, raining harmlessly. His blade singed her neck. Her wrist sizzled where he crushed it. She didn’t care. “Spare me your preaching, godscum. I don’t want to be saved.”
    “Oh, I won’t preach to you, bloodsucker.” His gaze glittered, icy. Impossibly green, this angel’s eyes. “I wouldn’t waste my time. You’re already damned.”
    For a moment, she quailed. She didn’t want it to be true. She’d made a mistake, let herself be seduced. What happened to Bridie was an accident. She hadn’t wanted this stinking, disgusting life. The blood, the slaughter, a demon prince’s dirty urges, the endless threat of eternity in hell if she didn’t comply…
    But too late. She’d crossed that bridge. Bridie was dead. No going back.
    And this angel’s precious heaven didn’t care.
    “Fine.” She tried to cover the crack in her voice with sass. “Then fuck your God, and fuck you.” And she spat, right into the angel’s face.
    It hit his bloodstained cheek, and sizzled to steam, and she waited for the burning thrust of steel into her throat.
    But he just stared, his handsome mouth trembling, and in a sweet-smelling blue flash, he vanished.
    *   *   *
    Japheth hit the ground in some dirty Babylon alleyway and cursed. Windows shattered, and the evil words carved acid welts into his tongue. He rarely cursed. Bad words were self-indulgent. They lacked restraint.
    But… fuck .
    Angry red fireworks burst from his wings. Her scent still sparkled his feathers. Her kiss still burned his mouth with sweet hellflame, the hot delight of her lips parting under his…
    Moonlight glared in his eyes, accusing. He wanted to howl his frustration to the sky. He slammed his fist into a brick wall, cracking a dozen bones. Pain was good. Pain was penance.
    Tonight, it only felt dirty.
    He gritted his teeth. Curse that demon’s slut. He’d overpowered her no problem. She’d been a fool to take him on, he was half again her size and could fly. He’d every chance to slit the evil seductress’s throat, to paint the ground crimson with her blood and send her howling to hell where she belonged.
    But he couldn’t.
    Couldn’t ram the blade home.
    He yanked his hair, hard enough to bleed. If only he just wanted her.
    Oh, yeah, this was way worse than simple lust. No matter that her sultry dark eyes hypnotized him. That he’d not touched a woman like