That was what I’ve been waiting for.
The lady had been more than worth the wait.
The bitch was gone and so was the fucking demon.
She’d driven like a maniac after leaving Paradise Found, and she’d lost him. Had she known he was behind her? Watching her every move?
He’d been so careful, laying back and watching her leave the news station, then trailing two cars behind her when she rushed to that godforsaken bar.
Holly Storm. He had such plans for her-had, since the very beginning.
She’d gotten past him.
He almost admired that. Would have, if it hadn’t pissed him off so much.
He picked up his cell. Punched in a fast number. The phone rang once, twice, then…“Is she there?” Back at her house, letting that freak touch her?
“No.”
Shit.
His place. And he’d already checked out Niol’s security setup. No way was he going to get in there.
No need. He’d get the demon to come to him.
Demons. Who the hell would have thought those bastards were real?
Abominations, that’s what they were.
Dark, twisted. Evil.
They deserved to get sent right back to hell.
He was just the man to send them there.
After he had his fun with them, of course. After he learned just how much pain they could tolerate. After he learned their secrets and how to harness their power.
Killing demons was so much easier than he’d anticipated.
Maybe Niol would be a challenge.
Maybe not.
He’d bet that when he sliced the bastard open, the tough guy would start to beg, just like the others.
His lips curved. Begging…and blood. Such a perfect combination.
“She was in the bar tonight,” Cara Maloan said, as she drew her fingernail down her lover’s chest.
Todd Brooks sucked in a sharp breath and caught her hand. “Who?” His eyes had that hot, dark look she liked so much. The look that said he was crazy to have her.
She loved that look-from him.
Only him.
Cara licked her lips. She wanted to strip off her clothes and taste her lover, but a worry nagged in her mind, and she just couldn’t shut off the strange fear. “Holly Storm. She came to Paradise right before I went onstage.”
Todd grunted. “That’s because she’s screwing Niol.”
She blinked, then frowned. “What? Are you sure?” Niol went for human lovers. Hell, Niol went for vamps, witches, demons…
But Holly Storm was-different. “Niol doesn’t like reporters.” He’d told her that dozens of times. The guy had even called them parasites a few times, and he didn’t even call the vamps that.
“He seems to like her.” He pressed a kiss to her shoulder.
Cara pushed him back, forcing Todd down against the pillows with only the weight of her hand against his chest. “You’re trying to distract me.”
“I’m trying to make love to you.” He smiled, but she saw the shadows and secrets in his eyes. “There’s a difference.”
Her lips firmed. Just get it out there. “This is about those demons who’ve been killed, isn’t it?” He was shutting her out because it was a case, one that might hit too close to home for her.
After all, she was a demon, too.
“I can’t tell you that, Cara.”
“You just did.” A shiver slid over her. “What the hell is going on? Is someone really hunting demons in this city?” That was the rumor she’d heard at Paradise. It’d come from Marc, with a warning to watch her back and to stay away from any…humans.
Dammit. “Do I need to be worried?”
His jaw clenched. “I’d never let anything happen to you.”
Understanding dawned. “Is that why you’ve had that charmer cop tailing me for the last two days?”
“Hell. Tagged him, did you?”
A nod.
“I love you,” Todd told her quietly as he lifted her hand from his chest and brought her fingers to his lips. “And I might be an asshole sometimes-”
She snorted at that.
“-but your safety comes first with me, always .”
So he’d given her a bodyguard. “ Tell me next time.” Kinda cute, really, that he thought she needed a bodyguard. Todd was still so new to this game. He forgot how strong she could be.
How deadly in her own right.
Especially if she was fighting a human.
For a moment, his face turned stark. “I hope to hell there’s never a next time like this.”
She wondered just what he’d witnessed at his crime scenes. Wondered about the calls that had come and taken him from her bed.
Her cop. Always trying to be a hero.
A girl could easily lose her heart to a guy like him-she sure had.
“Is Niol in danger?” She couldn’t keep the worry out of her voice. She and Niol went back too far for her to pretend about him.
Todd’s lip curled. “I pity the bastard who makes the mistake of going after him.”
She thought about that for a moment. Remembered the stench of burning flesh.
Then gave a small nod.
Something she’d learned over the years-Niol was one hard bastard to kill and one very fine predator.
Niol was, quite possibly, the best lover she’d ever had.
Oh, screw that. Holly opened her eyes and gazed up at the ceiling. He was one hell of a lot better than the other five guys she’d been with in her thirty-one years.
Fan-damn-tastic.
She licked her lips, realized they were desert dry, just like her mouth, and swallowed before she said, “When can we do that again?”
Though, not necessarily against the wall, because her back and ass were hurting a bit, but…
That had been one wild ride.
His head raised from her shoulder.
He smiled at her. A smile that made her heart do a weird little flutter.
The darkness in his eyes, it almost seemed to lighten, just for a moment.
And the cock inside her stiffened.
Her sex shivered.
I’d like more.
But Niol was pulling back and Holly couldn’t control the moan that slipped from her lips at the slow glide of his flesh. Good.
Niol eased her legs down and lowered her body to the floor. A chill skated over her.
A flicker of doubt had her swallowing. Maybe the fantastic sex hadn’t been so great for him. The guy’d had a stream of lovers in his life, she knew that.
Rumor was he’d lost his heart years ago to a succubus. Wasn’t like she could really compete with a sex demon in the buck-naked category and-
“Shower or bed?”
The words were a rumble, thick with lust and sensual demand.
The worrying voice in her head faded to a whisper. Holly blinked. “I-ah-”
His jaw clenched. “Bed.”
Niol’s hand lifted and he pointed toward the stairs. “First room on the right.” He glanced down at his body. “I’ll ditch the condom, then meet you there.” His mouth took hers. A deep, toe-curling kiss.
When she turned to walk away from him moments later, her legs weren’t quite steady. She held onto the banister as tightly as she could. Her thighs trembled and her sex throbbed, the flesh swollen and…hungry.
Still hungry for him.
Once hadn’t been nearly enough. Good thing they had the rest of the night and that he seemed as wild for the sex between them as she was.
“Fucking gorgeous.”
The snarl stopped her near the top of the stairs. She glanced back down. Niol gazed up at her, completely naked now. So much tanned flesh. The condom was gone and his cock stood fully erect. His eyes were on her, his face a tight mask.
Then he licked his lips and she almost did a header off the stairs.
Niol smiled and began to stalk her.
A whip of fire fueled her blood.
He was coming up the stairs, fast.
Two at a time. Three.
He’d be on her in seconds.
In her.
She sprinted for the top, adrenaline kicking through her.
At the landing, she glanced to the left. The room was dark, lit only by the stars and moonlight that shone through the massive windows.