“We’re not all bad, baby, understand that—”
“I do.” Her nails dug into her palms. She understood, but it was just so hard. She woke up most nights, a scream choking her. She’d nearly died in that damn place and when she’d met the killer’s stare, she’d known what hell looked like.
She saw Dan’s throat work as he swallowed. His hand lifted then, as if he were going to touch her, but then he hesitated.
Pain danced over his face.
And she hurt.
He stepped back. Dropped his hand. “If there isn’t anything else, Dr. Smith, I need to get back to work and—”
“There’s something else.” Her voice shook. Just like her knees.
He lifted a brow.
“I wouldn’t have walked away from you.” Her chin came up. “I mean, shit, Dan, I didn’t care about the fact that you’re white—did you really think I’d give a damn that you could go all Dr. Doolittle on me?”
His mouth dropped open.
Satisfied with that response and not really trusting herself to say more, Smith managed to turn around and open the door. Then she walked out, head held high, and didn’t look back.
Her mama had taught her long ago how a lady made an exit.
Her mama just hadn’t warned her that she had real wolves to worry about in the world, wolves who often wore the flesh of men.
The guards weren’t at the door of Paradise Found, and the sight of the empty entranceway had Todd tensing.
Cara stilled beside him. “Todd? What’s wrong?”
Everything. Cara shouldn’t have even been with him then. She should have been in a safe house, protected by several guards—and he should have been casing the place alone. “When we go inside, stay behind me, okay? Just—”
Her bow lips turned down. “Why…” she drew the word out with obvious impatience, “do you have such trouble with the concept of me being a demon?” She pointed to her chest. “Look, nearly immortal me.” She tapped him, a bit harder than he thought was really necessary, right in the middle of his chest. “And weak, human you.”
He reached for his holster. He might be mortal, but he was armed. Todd wasn’t forgetting for a moment that a potentially murderous incubus might be inside.
And then there was Niol…
His fingers curled around the gun. “Me—human, but ready to shoot. And don’t forget,” he offered her a brief smile, “I’m the one with the badge.” Okay, yeah, he knew the woman was strong.
But she was his and he wanted to protect her.
Todd pressed a hard kiss to her lips.
Then playtime was over and he stalked toward the door. Cara followed on his heels, her seductive scent wrapping around him.
He pushed on the door. Open. No way was this Niol’s usual operation.
The cop in him hesitated, but then Todd realized his internal alarm—that system that had never failed him before—it wasn’t making a single noise.
What a fucking bad time for his instincts to fail him.
Shoving open the door, he went in with his gun up and his pulse steady.
Chapter 15
“The gun’s not really necessary, you know,” Niol murmured, not bothering to rise from his table. He sat in the middle of the club, a pair of dark glasses covering his black eyes, and offered them a cold smile. “Back so soon, are we?”
Ignoring him, for the moment, Todd swept his gaze across the bar.
“Where’s Cameron?” Cara asked.
The smile tightened a bit. “Not here.”
It didn’t look like anyone else was there. “Where the hell is he?” Gyth had probably already sent a squad to the incubus’ house and taken him into custody, but Todd asked the question anyway.
“I don’t know.” A shrug. “Don’t really care.”
“Niol.” A warning edge had entered Cara’s voice. Then the woman stepped around him. Damn it, he’d told her to stay behind him for protection.
She strode toward Niol.
He grabbed her hand. “Don’t get too close to him.” She might be all warm and friendly with the demon, but it would be one cold-ass day in hell before he felt the same. His gaze snapped to Niol. “I’m here on business, Niol, and I’m gonna be nice and ask you again. Where’s Cameron?”
“Why?” Niol’s head tilted to the left. Mild curiosity flavored his voice.
“Because we’ve got an incubus loose in this city who’s killed at least three men.”
Niol raised his hand. Removed his sunglasses and cast his dark stare toward Todd. “An incubus, is it? I thought you boys in blue were looking for a succubus.”
“Things have changed.” That was all the info he’d give Niol. “Where is he?”
The black stare slipped toward Cara. “You think Cameron’s a killer?”
He read the hesitation on her face. Before she could reply, Todd said, “Every option has to be explored.”
“Um.” A rumble. “Of course, it does.” A shrug of the demon’s shoulders. “Don’t really know where Cameron is. His shift doesn’t start until eight tonight.”
“He was here earlier.”
Another careless shrug. “He—and the two other bartenders who work for me.”
“Niol.”
“Cameron came in for his check, okay, Detective? He told me he wasn’t feeling too good, then left.”
Todd shoved his gun back into the holster. “You don’t seem particularly concerned about the fact that your bartender might have killed those men.”
Niol’s lips quirked at that. “Cameron’s not really the killing kind. He doesn’t have that instinct.”
“You sure about that? Maybe when you look at him, you’ve just been seeing what good old Cameron wants you to see.” He slanted his stare at Cara. “Maybe that’s what both of you have been seeing.”
Niol’s eyes narrowed just a bit. “Cameron lives at 55 Corington Place. Go get him and drag him down to your station, if that’s what you want.”
No emotion on the guy’s face or in his voice. And Cara was quiet now. What was with them? Todd took an aggressive step toward Niol. Maybe he should reveal a little more information and see just what kind of response he could shake out of the demon. “The incubus doing these killings—he’s been setting up Cara.”
The dark eyes didn’t blink.
“Did you hear me? Cara was right—she’s being set up—and this bastard is doing it to her! So you know—and what? You don’t give a damn? I thought you cared about her! Are you just going to sit there while—”
“Todd.” Cara moved forward in a flash, putting herself between him and the demon. A good thing, because he really wanted to rip that guy’s head off.
That had to be a surefire way to kill him.
“I do care for Cara.” Niol stood slowly, his body a ripple of threat. “I’d never let anyone hurt her.” His gaze raked down Todd’s body. “Demon or human.”
Oh, was that supposed to be some kind of scary warning? Too bad, Todd wasn’t exactly feeling intimidated. “Who are the other incubi in the city?”
Now Niol looked amused. “Didn’t Cara already tell you?”
“I’m asking you.”
A shrug. “The ADA. The reporter. You obviously know about Cam.”
“Any others?” He bit out, impatient. “Come on, Niol, you’re the one who knows this city. Tell me who I’m up against so that I can damn well make certain Cara is safe.”
The black eyes widened in just the briefest show of surprise. True emotion—finally. “You care for her.”
Well, shit, of course, he did. He wasn’t a fucking idiot, but he also wasn’t about to have some kind of soul-baring fest with Niol. “I’m doing my job. Stopping killers and protecting the innocent.”
“How great for you.” The emotion was gone and—again, it didn’t seem like Niol particularly cared.
Cara’s mouth tightened. “Who else is hunting in the city?”