“I am using it. You can just see right through it.” He released her wrist. “You saw me the moment his blood filled your veins.”
So now she was seeing demons? Great. What she needed to see was an angel. “I want Az.”
“You sure about that?” Tanner had moved to the foot of the bed. He was watching her with that half-worried, half-sympathetic gaze that was making her feel increasingly antsy.
“You seemed to . . . want to be away from him when you saw him last.” Now that bit came from the demon doctor.
“I was out of my head then.” The doctor reached for the bandages that began near her shoulder. “I want Az,” Jade said again.
His fingers brushed the tip of the bandages. “Lay back down and let me check your wounds. Once I’m sure you’re healing well, I’ll call him in.”
Tanner offered her a faint half-smile. “Cody’s afraid you’re gonna freak out again and mess up all his fine handiwork.”
She slid back down on the bed. “Check me out, then get me Az.” She needed him.
When Cody got to work slowly pulling back the bandages, she stared up at the ceiling. Faint cracks crisscrossed the white paint above her, and she focused her gaze on them. The sick feeling in her gut told her that she’d have scars on her chest that looked just like those cracks. Long, jagged.
A light touch of air hit her skin when the demon pulled back the bandages.
“How . . .” Surprise roughed the word even as the doctor leaned closer to her. “I’ll be damned.”
She’d been avoiding looking at her wounds but now . . . Jade risked a fast glance down, but only saw the doctor reaching for scissors. Tweezers.
Her gaze immediately jumped back to the ceiling.
After a moment, she felt a light tugging on her chest. Then he pulled something out—stitches? She had to look like Frankenstein’s monster, and she knew it was weak, but Jade didn’t want to see those wounds right then. Give her a few more hours, and she’d woman-up and do the deed but right then . . .
“You’re healed.”
Lie. But . . . her eyes darted down to the ravaged flesh that she hadn’t wanted to see. Only it wasn’t marred. Not so much as scratched. Pale as ever, smooth. No sign of the deep cuts that had torn through flesh and muscle.
“Az!” She screamed his name because in that moment, she was terrified of what she’d become.
The door flew open and slammed back against the wall. Az stood in the entranceway, filling the space. His hands were clenched. His eyes blazing. “Get away from her!” He roared. And in the next second, he’d leapt across the room. Az grabbed the demon by the back of the neck and hurtled him against the wall.
Jade realized she was naked from the waist down. She yanked up the sheet and ended the peep show.
“Easy!” Tanner lifted his hands when Az rounded on him. “We weren’t hurting her.”
“I was . . . just . . .” The demon rose and winced. “I was merely checking her out.”
“I saw that.” A lethal edge underscored Az’s words. He spun to face the doctor, giving Jade his back, and that was when she actually paid attention enough to notice his wings.
Not real wings. More like shadows. Thick, black, they rose from his bare shoulders and extended high above him.
They were dark and so beautiful.
“She was scared,” Az snarled as he closed in on the demon. “I heard her fear.” His hands were clenched into powerful fists.
Uh, oh. Jade kept a hold on her sheet as she hopped out of bed. Her knees didn’t so much as jiggle when her feet touched down on the wooden floor. That angel blood sure packed a powerful punch.
“Because she realized—we both realized—” Cody spoke quickly now as he pressed his back against the wall in an attempt to put more distance between him and Az. “We realized that she’s healed.”
Jade crept up behind Az. Tanner didn’t move. She reached out and her fingers skimmed over those shadowy wings. She could almost feel them against her skin. Like silk.
Az stiffened. He’d loved it when she stroked his scars before. What effect would it have on him when she touched these shadowy remnants of his wings?
“Jade . . .” Her name was a rasp, heavy with need, lust.
She stroked the shadows once more.
This time, he shuddered.
“She’s healed,” Cody said again. “And—”
Az turned to face her. His jaw was locked, and his eyes still burned hot enough to scorch her. And the man looked like he could eat her.