When Angels Fall Read Free

her . It ’ s time for you to leave. ”
    Peter swallowed the last of his firewater. Ever so slowly, he set his empty glass down on the bar. Under the counter, his hand curled into a fist. One by one, claws pressed from beneath his fingernails, bit into skin. “ That sounded an awful lot like an order. Are you challenging me, old man? ”
    From behind him, there was a rustle of movement and an overwhelming flood of otherworldly energy. His fellow shifters were reacting to his leopard, answering the Alpha ’ s call for submission. Peter ignored everything except the person before him.
    A muscle ticked in his uncle ’ s squared, scraggily beard - covered jaw as he fought the compulsion to bow . After a long, tense minute, James answered in a fierce whisper . “ No. ”
    “ Then you mind yourself. The cat is spoiling for a fight and I don ’ t really think it cares who with. I was only observing and relaying the facts. She ’ s wearing my mother ’ s God damned pearls. She ’ s attractive, I guess. Given the lack of appealing women in this shit hole, why wouldn ’ t Greg make a pass? He ’ s top cat, ha d his pick of the litter , so to speak. ”
    “ Because he raised her, that ’ s why . ” James lowered his voice. “ No one was good enough for Eva, not even Greg. I don ’ t like the way you ’ re sizing her up. I suggest you l eave her alone. ”
    “ Or what? ” Peter challenged.
    The pattering of footsteps sounded close, too delicate to be male. He and James cut off their conversation at Eva ’ s approach. For some reason, she ’ d decided the seat next to his looked welcoming enough. When she sat, her shoulder brushed his. Her unique, intoxicating scent slapped him across the face. The feline rubbed the inside of his skin, desperate to smell her, to press its nose against her neck and lick.
    What the hell was it about Eva that drew him?
    He remembered the night a little over twenty years ago when Greg had come home with her. She ’ d been beaten and bruised, barely recognizable through the blood staining her face. He recalled looking into her eyes, feeling the punch to his stomach. Her eyes were just as dark, just as innocent, just as compelling as they were now. At fifteen, a man-boy struggling through testosterone overload and a need to dominate, he hadn ’ t understood the fierce urge to protect her.
    Eva had been the third and last problem in the combative, violent, unloving relationship between him and his father. She ’ d moved in, and he, out.
    Tapping unpainted nails on the bar ’ s counter, Eva stared straight ahead as if he didn ’ t exist. She must not remember him. Must not recognize his face when he, even after all these years, couldn ’ t get hers out of his memory.
    “ Hey, James . C an I get a C oke? ” Her voice was husky, sexy, not at all what he imagined she ’ d sound like.
    The sex kitten purr laced in her tone surprised, aroused, and drove him just a little crazy. She looked so…angelic.
    He turned closer to Eva in order to get a better look at her. When he caught himself admiring the line of her vulnerable throat, he picked up his drink and slammed the contents back. Only, his drink was empty.
    “ Make hers a whiskey, and another one for me, ” he ordered, wondered where the words came from.
    She turned in her chair to eye him warily. Her gaze traveled from his beardless face, over the fitted black wool sweater, and down to the dark blue jeans that had been bought on sale in a department store.
    “ No, thank you, ” she said politely.
    He leaned into her, and she immediately drew back. The feline took her withdrawal as a challenge. A rush of adrenaline washed through him, quickening the drum of his heart into a gallop. Holding up his hands, he gave her a lazy grin, the one that rendered most females powerless.
    If her blank, no-blinking stare was indication, she was immune.
    A point in her favor.
    “ I meant no harm. I was just getting a closer sniff, ” he wiggled