Niol paused. “Cara just tells you everything, doesn’t she?”
No, not yet.
After all, she hadn’t told Todd how she felt about him yet.
Another twitch of the demon’s body. Todd stalked forward, stopping only when he stood directly over the body.
Cara marched at his side.
Niol took up a position near the demon’s head.
Holly stood, rather unsteadily, just a few steps away.
And as they watched, Cameron’s eyes opened. Blood trickled from his mouth as he smiled—then lunged upward.
Todd fired six more shots. Two into his forehead and four into his heart.
The demon went down once more.
Holly choked out a cry of disbelief.
Todd spared her the briefest glance. “Yeah, and this is what you thought the city was ready to see.” He shook his head in disgust. “Still think that, Ms. Storm?”
“N-no, I—”
“Detective Brooks!”
Glancing over his shoulder, he saw the two uniforms storm out of Paradise’s back door.
Finally.
“How long will he stay down?” He demanded, knowing that Cara or Niol would be able to tell him. If there was enough time, they could secure the scene, call McNeal and get some kind of transport and security setup ready.
Niol whistled. “Well, considering he’s got a hole the size of my fist in his chest and his head’s not looking so pretty anymore, I’d say you’ve probably got a few days before our boy here so much as twitches again.”
Good. A savage smile of satisfaction curled Todd’s lips. “That’s what I wanted to hear.” He lowered his weapon. “Back up my story,” he ordered softly, realizing there would be a ton of explanations needed.
Niol shrugged.
Holly bit her lip, then nodded.
Cara didn’t take her eyes off the body, but he knew she would agree. He could count on her.
He put his gun in his holster. “Stay there!” He shouted to the uniforms. There was no second weapon on the scene, so they’d wonder why the hell he’d blasted an unarmed suspect with bullets—and they’d also probably want to know how the guy was still breathing.
’Cause he was. Todd had seen the light rise and fall of the demon’s chest.
“I’m gonna keep ’em back. Cara, hell, baby, I hate to ask…”
The faintest of smiles curled her lips. Her eyes were haunted, but a hint of humor slipped over her face. “You wouldn’t be asking me to distract police officers, now would you, lover?”
God, but she was gorgeous.
“Just this once…”
Her head inclined. After one final glance, she turned away from the demon. Just turned her back on the man who’d tried to set her up for murder and who’d arranged the death of her sister.
Todd couldn’t help it. The detective knew he should stand back, keep it professional with so many eyes watching them, but—
He pulled her into his arms. Kissed her and tasted the sweetness of her fire on his tongue.
Her hands curled over his arms. Chilled, but so right.
He lifted his head. Forced himself to take a deep breath—but he just smelled her.
“Go.” A whisper that slipped from the lips he’d reddened. “Do your job. We’ll talk—later.” There was the faintest glint of moisture in her eyes and he knew she was fighting for her own control.
Hell, the woman had just faced her sister’s killer with stunning fury. Yeah, he knew she’d be able to keep her control now.
Giving a grim nod, he let her go. Then they began walking toward the officers and his nose twitched as he caught the deepening scent of her pheromones. Oh, damn, but this had better—
A sudden blast of flames erupted behind them, and the fury of the fire ripped through the alley with the force of an explosion, sending Todd and Cara flying through the air.
Chapter 18
Cara hit the ground hard. She felt blood pour from her knees, felt the trickle of the liquid on her palms. As fast as she could, she shoved to her feet, and her first thought was of—“Todd!”
Then she saw him, rising a few feet away from her, face cut, hands dripping blood just like her own were.
Relief had her shaking.
Her gaze flew toward the back of the alley, but she knew what she’d see. She should have known all along, really.
“Christ!” Todd’s voice was stunned and she knew that he’d just caught a glimpse of Cameron’s charred body.
He took off running, heading straight for the still-flickering flames.
Cara didn’t move, but her gaze tracked over to the left. Niol rose, his arms around the pale reporter. Cara’s eyes met his.
She hadn’t told Todd, because it would have been impossible for him to manage the feat, but there was a second way to kill a succubus or an incubus. A way only the most powerful demons could master.
Complete incineration, an incineration that started from within the body. If the fire began in the heart, then blasted outward, the demon could be destroyed.
But there were so few who could manage that much power.
So few.
Niol held her stare.
He’d loved her sister, in his way. And he’d wanted vengeance just as she had.
A vengeance he’d achieved.
A vengeance he’d given to her.
Cara’s head moved in the briefest of nods. Her heart ached as she thought of Nina. Of the life that had been cut far too short by the darkness in demons and men.
Justice had finally been given to her twin. Perhaps now, the nightmares would stop.
And Nina could rest.
“Holy shit!” A stunned male voice.
Ah, the other officers. She’d nearly forgotten about them.
Todd jerked off his shirt, and he battled against the flames. Didn’t really matter—she knew the fire would die away in moments.
But the two uniformed officers, they did matter. She closed her eyes, let her power stir inside her, and Cara pushed her scent hard into the air. Her eyes opened—one last look. Then, for the second time, she turned away from Cameron. The man she’d once called friend. The man who’d tried to destroy her.
This wouldn’t be the last time she would think of him, she knew that. Turning away—it didn’t mean she could shut him out or stop the memories. Her heart ached, her soul raged.
But it was over.
He was gone.
Nina was at peace.
Cara took careful steps toward the cops. The heel of her left shoe was broken, and her clothes were torn. She probably didn’t particularly look sexy, but how she looked, well, that really wasn’t the issue. The closer she got to the men, the more dazed their expressions became.
“Gentlemen,” she pitched her voice low, injecting a strong dose of hypnotic power, “remember this. When you arrived at the crime scene, the body was already burning and Detective Todd Brooks was fighting as hard as he possibly could to stop the flames.” Truth mixed with deception always worked the best.
Good-bye, Cameron. Hope you enjoy the hell that’s waiting…wonder if it’s as hot as Niol’s flames…
Sometimes, fate had a way of giving people exactly what they deserved.
“Shit.” The next evening, McNeal sat at his desk, glaring down at the neatly typed report before him. “That woman from News Flash Five saw everything?”
Todd cleared his throat. “Uh, yes, sir.” Since she’d been less than five feet away and had wound up with singed hair, it would have been hard for Holly Storm to avoid the whole self-combusting incubus scene.
McNeal’s eyes rose, then pinned Todd in his chair. “And she’s gonna keep quiet?”
He hoped. “I think so.” The woman had been shell-shocked, but before the ambulance attendants loaded her up, she’d grabbed his hand and told him, voice hoarse from the fire and Cameron’s powerful grip, “You’re right. No one’s ready for this.”