“I was…talking about my singing.”
“So was I.” He leaned back against the bar. “Why here, Cara? You could probably be singing in any club in Atlanta that you wanted. Hell, you don’t need to be on Niol’s stage—”
“This is where I belong.” She wouldn’t give him any more of an explanation.
His lips thinned. “But I don’t belong here, right?”
A little sadly, she shook her head.
“You know, I’m getting damn tired of feeling like there is some kind of secret shit going on in this town that I don’t know about.”
Understandable. For a second, she was tempted to tell him the truth.
But she really doubted the guy would believe her. Oh, yes, it would go something like, “I’m Cara, an immortal succubus. Just so you know, this whole bar is full of demons and vampires and witches. Oh, and your partner, Gyth? He’s a shifter. Yeah, he can turn into an animal at will.”
He’d definitely buy that.
“And just what is it that you think is going on?” She asked him instead, and motioned with a slight flick of her hand for a drink from the bartender, Cameron.
Cameron’s eyes faded to black for a moment as she stared at him and his glamour lessened. True demons had completely black eyes. Iris, cornea, even the sclera were all as black as night. But, so as not to scare the tender humans, most demons used a glamour to hide their real eye color.
Just as she hid hers.
Cameron pushed a martini glass toward her. Shot a glare toward Todd’s back.
Cameron had never been a particular fan of humans, but he was generally harmless. She’d known the other demon for years. The guy might look like he’d just cruised past twenty-three, but she knew the truth about him.
The two of them had so damn much in common. Too much.
She shook her head, a slight move directed at him, and Cameron stepped back.
Todd sighed, a rough exhalation of air. “Hell if I know what’s happening around here.” He caught her hand, rubbed his fingers over her knuckles. “Maybe I’m just paranoid.”
Or maybe not.
With her left hand, Cara reached for her drink. Took a quick sip to ease the dryness in her throat.
“You lied.”
She nearly choked on the sweet liquid. “Wh-what?”
His lips curved into a half smile and his dimple peeked at her. “You can sing.”
“I-um, th-thank you.”
His fingers smoothed over her hand in a featherlight caress. The band began to play again. The music was sexy, slow. Soon, she knew they’d switch into another driving, hard rhythm. Niol’s orders. He loved to mix things up at his club.
Besides, Niol subscribed to the theory that music tended to soothe the savage beast, and since so many beasts visited his club, he liked to play music that appealed to them all.
“Do you want to dance?” Todd asked, leaning close to her so that his breath feathered over her cheek.
Power still pulsed within her. A sensual energy that made her want to slide closer and rub her body against his. If they danced, she’d be able to do just that. She could touch him as much she wanted. She could feel the hard strength of his body along the length of hers.
Oh, but that sounded good.
Too good.
She took another sip of her drink. Then asked, “I take it I’m not a suspect anymore?” She wanted a straight answer, just for clarity.
He paused, a barely perceptible hesitation, before he said, “Nothing is pointing to you right now.”
Not the answer she’d been hoping for. She really would have liked more of a “You’re completely clear, baby, I’ll never suspect you again” response. Her gaze held his as she tried to figure him out. “You’re not, by any chance, trying to seduce some kind of confession out of me, are you, Detective?”
A slow shake of his head. “No, I’m just trying to seduce you, period.”
Her fingers tightened around the glass.
“You want me,” he continued. “I want you.”
If only things were that simple.
He took the glass from her hand. “Dance with me.”
One dance. Surely she could stay in control for just one dance. Cara turned away from him and led the way onto the already full dance floor.
Couples swayed together in time with the beat of the music. They looked like simple men and women, but Cara knew they weren’t. Spells were being cast around them. Whispers of seduction and temptation filled the air. When Todd took her into his arms and pulled her tight against his chest, she wondered if perhaps she’d underestimated his power.
His pull was strong.
Though she was tall, Todd still towered over her, but when he held her, he bent his head and drew down close to her face. His body was a solid mass of muscle. As they moved, she felt the hard bulge of his cock rising against her.
She didn’t pull back. Didn’t fake any kind of false modesty. She pressed against him and enjoyed the sensual touch. She wished then that she’d been born different.
Human.
Humans were so lucky. They could love and hate and fear and lust, and not have those emotions destroy them.
Unless they chose to be destroyed.
For her, there was no choice. Never had been.
His hands smoothed down her body, came to rest at the base of her spine.
“Todd…” She liked the feel of his name on her tongue, but she had to warn him, before things went too far. “I’m not a safe woman to want.”
“I know.” His hands were a heavy, warm weight. “But I’m not exactly a safe man.” His hold tightened, for just an instant, and a lick of pure passionate fire shot through her.
Her sensually aware skin tingled, her pulse raced, and though Cara knew she was playing a dangerous game, she couldn’t seem to stop herself.
He said he wasn’t safe. Was he talking about the fact that he was a cop? Or something more?
“I’m not a nice guy,” he continued, the words hard, but so soft they carried only to her ears. “I’ve done things—” He shook his head, “I’ve done what I had to do in order to bring criminals to justice. I’ve fought. I’ve lied.”
Todd’s confession didn’t particularly surprise her.
His lips thinned. “I’ve even killed.” His gaze met hers. “If you can’t handle that, you need to tell me now.”
She could handle it. The problem was that he wouldn’t be able to handle her. A pang of sadness filled her as she stared up at him. “You like to fight evil, don’t you? Like to make sure that the good guys win and that the bad guys get just what they deserve.”
“I do my job,” he said simply and his fingers pressed into her hips.
“Is everything black-and-white to you? Good or evil? Is that the only choice?” His answer was so important to her.
Because, like him, she’d done desperate things in her life. Fought. Lied. And as for the killing…
“Not anymore,” he murmured. “Nothing’s simple any damn more and—”
A soft vibration shook his hip and reverberated through her.
His cell phone.
Todd’s jaw clenched and his fingers dug into her hips.
Her time to play and dream had ended. Cara shook her head and stepped away from him, breaking his hold. “You’d better check that.” The slow, moody music ended. From the corner of her eye, she saw Brock pick up his guitar. She knew what song would come next even before the screech of the instrument cut through the crowd.
Todd grabbed his phone, glanced at the glowing message and swore softly. “I’ve got to call Colin.”
Of course, he did. Evil never slept. At least not in this city.
“Thanks for the dance.” Her hand lifted and stroked down his cheek. A soft murmur of pleasure whispered past her lips as she felt the faint sting of stubble along his hard jaw.
He caught her hand. “It doesn’t have to end with a dance.”
“For me, it does.” His hold was tight, but not unbreakable. “I’m not the kind of girl who has flings.” Not anymore. Hell, she didn’t have much of anything anymore.